Being One Of Us
by hArdcOrecArtoonmAniac
Summary: The Fabricator returns with a new ploy to destory the Stitchpunk- create some of his own! Are these new "Negative" dolls truly evil or is there something more? The story deepens with visions of the ghostly Zero. A story of understanding and innocence.
1. Prolouge

**Being One Of Us: **An alagorical story of innocence, family and understanding.

**Author's Notes **(revised): Being One Of Us is my novel-sized fan fiction written in the format of a sequel to the flim, taking place several years after the ending. The story will include several OCs who play major roles in the plot. The story is somewhat of an allagory, an allagorical story is a story in which characters or setting repersent both what they are in the book and also a person or group of people. Pay attention to colors, I often use them as foreshadowing; for example, Gold = Joy/Love/Stitchpunk beings, Blue = Fear/The unknown, Green = Life/Unity, Red = The Machine/Beasts/Anger, Gray = Solitude/Mystery, Black = Death, White = The Past. I will also include short bios of the characters as they're revealed at the bottom.

_Being One Of Us_

A story of understanding

The ruins of the once-great human civilization where starting to be redominated by the Earth. One might not be able to tell as the land looked utterly lifeless. But if we look closely we see short green moss is growing the cool damp places beneath the demolished buildings and growing on the small patches of suitable soil. The rains have returned the plants where allowed to grow. The patches of soft moss had a green glittery glow to them - a green glow these lands have seen before.

All the humans were dead but life was recognizable in some form. Scurrying across the dead civilization was a small single surviving machine. He balanced himself on many thin silver legs, his one-sectioned body had many glowing red eyes. He was similar to the, now extinct, ant. The nimble little machine stopped at a small patch of moss next to a non-human made memorial. He looked at small circle of graves made of twigs and sections of fabric labeled "1", "2", "5", "6" and "8" honoring the passing of the small rag doll-like creatures. The machine angrily kicked some dust upon the memorial for the creatures that destroyed his kind and his creator. He quickly made his way to the center where a gold medallion was placed in the ashes of a fire pit. The ant machine snatched it and placed it atop his body.

He took the medallion and pressed its three buttons in the same order he has watched the human-like dolls do before. A bright green smoke was sucked from the moss and into the medallion. A strange reaction but he had no time to process it now. The ant machine scurred away.

The machine quickly make his way over the spilt entrails of the human-homes. He came upon an open space void of plant life because of its fine sand. Half-buried in the brown dust was a heavily damaged figure of steal. He had many arms, several sections of his body attached to a tail once that kept him attached his factory and at last was his eye where all his programing and knowledge was kept.

The brain of the Fabricator machine was the only peace salvageable. The ant machine spent much time attempting to repair its creator and has been successful. All he needed now was something to power him. Most machines can run on oil or electricity but both where out of the question.

However, the Fabricator could run on another power source: souls. It is a mystery how this is possible but we know how he goes about it: using the gold talisman he can suck up the green energy from a victim. The ant machine offered the gold trinket to his creator and pressed the three buttons in sequence.

The symbols on the talisman flashed a bright green and a beam of green shot from it into an outlet on the Fabrication machine. A low rumbling sounded and the Fabricators single red eye lit up again. He had one priority on his mind: revenge on the puny human-like creatures.

The ant machine was startled by the sudden awakening and accidentally dropped the talisman. He was immediately ordered to retrieve it by the creator. He quickly scurried down the sand and toward the talisman that rolled by to the nearby memorial, back where it was found.

A sound! The machine looked around the large open human-street littered with stone ruins. Someone is coming! It was one of those strange doll creatures. While he was programmed to attack the doll, he did not; he had not the aid of his many fallen machines and he had something much more important to do. Later the machines will regain the talisman but now they has to regroup in secrecy

At the memorial one of the surviving human-like creatures looked silently at the graves. He was the last born of his kind, the Stitchpunk, labeled with a "9" on his back. He walked to the center of the monument and picked up the talisman and used a thread he found to tie it around his neck.

He and the other Stitchpunk where created and brought to life using the talisman with pieces of the soul of one human survivor we can only call the "Toy Maker". The Toy Maker is dead now, giving his last bit of life to 9 so that he may restart life on Earth.

However that story is over now, he had been successful but not without losing five of his friends. 9 missed them all dearly and visited this memorial often to remember them.

1 was, at the beginning, the self-proclaimed leader with a sour temper but he quickly lost influence over the others - he was the last to die, sacrificing himself to save 9. 2 was an intelligent, fearless and somewhat eccentric inventor who was however frail and old - he died because of a tragic accident. 5, 9 probably missed most, had missing an eye and had a meek personality - he was unable to escape the Fabricator in time. 6 was a strange artist who brought premonitions though his art and words that 9 only understood - he sacrificed himself for reasons nobody fully understood. 8 was none-too-bright but robust and powerful - help came too late for him.

9's memories grew fainter and fainter every time he came here. It was almost maddening. He didn't want to forget them. It was at this visit he started to speak to the memorial.

"7 and the twins aren't really much company - I mean they're nice but it's not much. Not like before, with you guys around" But there was no answer, 9 continued, "We really haven't had much time to get to know each other though"

The memorial was still.

"You'd sure be help with preserving the human-city and taking care of these new green plants too" But there was still no sign of life

"I really miss you" He said at length, "Can you hear me?"

Nothing. Then he shouted;

"Can you hear me?"

When nothing answered him he left the memorial with his head hung low watching his copper feet drag through the green moss. Suddenly there was a green pulse in the moss. 9 quickly rose his head and looked back to the memorial. The fabric on the graves ruffled and he was blown by a calming warm wind. He smiled at the wind and the purple sun-set sky. They could hear him!

_Characters (In order of apperance/mentioning)_

***~* Stitchpunks *~***

9 . . . To Save Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from burlap, hands and feet molded from copper. Body held shut by a brass zipper. Normal height. Most advanced and refined of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - Perviously defeated the Machine, now lives in peace with the other three surviving of his family, 3, 4 and 7. Is unable to let go of his departed friends and visets the Memorial often seeking guidance.

1 . . . To Protect Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from canvas, steel claws, poorly constructed. Held shut with two belt straps. Of average heigtht and skinny figure. The firstborn of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - Once the protective self-proclaimed leader of the Stitchpunk, lost his influance quickly once 9 appeared. Upon realizing he was no longer a use to the group, killed himself to save 9.

2 . . . To Inspire Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from a mix of burlap, canvas and leather put together in patches, bronze hands and worn wood feet. Held shut with a shoelace. Weakest and shortest of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - An elder and kindy inventor and medic. Killed in part by 1's intention and a mistake of 9's.

5 . . . To Guide Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from pale burlap with a leather eyepatch, copper hands. Held shut with two bronze buttons. Smaller than average.

Details - Reluctant student of 2's and map-maker. Killed by the Fabrication Machine.

8 . . . To Gaurd Us

Number Placement - Shoulder

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Half of his body was burlap, the other an canvas-like material, steel-and-copper hands and feet. Large and bulky. Held together with two clips.

Details - A devoted fallower of 1. Killed by the Fabrication Machine.

7 . . . To Defend Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Bleached canvas-like fabric skin, copper hands and feet, held shut with a blue-green button. Smaller and more nimble than the majority of the others. Large scar on back from a battle with the Cat Beast many years ago.

Details - Perviously a loner and Beast-slayer, after the defeat of the Fabrication Machine now lives with 9, her apparent mate, and 3 and 4. Still retains her independant nature.

3 . . . To Teach Us

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Broader face, larger and hands and taller than 4.

Details - Child-like and twin of 4. More curious, outgoing and more easily hurt than his sister.

4 . . . To Define Us

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Smaller mouth, hands and slightly shorter than 3.

Details - Child-like and twin of 3. More cautious, rational and shy than her brother.

***~* The Machines *~***

The Ant Driod

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male

Anatomy - Several legs and many red eyes attatched to a single black section of its body. Slightly larger than a Stitchpunk.

Details - Created by the Machine, a quick-moving minor machine used primarily to stand look-out for the Machine or collect parts for him.

The Fabrication Machine

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Massive machine with two body sections with many arms and tools attatched, one massive processor for a head with a red eye, apposable tail attached him to his Factory.

Details - His processor was built by the creator of the Stitchpunk and his massive body added on so her may create war-machines. The cause of the exermination of life. Killed by 9.


	2. Part I: Return

**Authors Notes: **This is the first chapter out of nine in which we get a breif understanding of every day life in 9's troop. Also we are intoduced to the first machine-Stitchpunk, -1 - the other eight will be introduced in the next part.

I try to give each character, canon and fan, a role in the story. Before I started I had trouble with what I was going to do with 5. Frankly, I found 5 quite boreing in the flim. After reveiwing his sences a few times I've noticed his rebellion against athority (namely, 1) close to the end. I took that and made him a point of conflict in 1's rule. His arguements against 1 (i.e. Murder of 2, Running and hiding, Monarchial status) are a parody of the fan's complants aganst the character.

I am a devoted fan of 1 (and willing to defend this anti-hero) and during this chapter I show how 7 (a more popular character) is actually quite similar to him. I still adore 7, don't get me wrong. 9's unhealthy connection to his dead friends clouds his judgment later. In later chapters the twins and 6 will have major conflicts. And near the end 8 and 2 come into play, the machines too. See as a try to satify all the fans.

However, the main two characters are 9 and 1, as well as their "negative" counterparts.

**Part I: Return of the Machines**

The evening came to the sky over the dead Human-City in the form of a soothing pink and orange shade. Slow drifting pink clouds stretched across the sunless sky as far as the eye could see. The soft clouds reflected their calming light upon the remains of the human civilization. The city was once a home to giant flesh-and-blood creatures, but they no longer share the Earth with us. However, these remains need not be called "dead" any longer as the new rains had brought about form of life peculiar to the land's current residents. While it might not be able to talk and move or even think, these new plants are a wondrous new addition to the landscape – and much welcomed by the Stitchpunk!

Perhaps the most fascinated by the fresh life were the two twin beings, 3 and 4. The twins, along with the other two surviving of their kin, lived in a large human facility that was once a museum. The Museum was full of wonders to discover, analyze and catalog and 3 and 4 were always more than happy to help themselves to explore - so long as they did their daily chores. Their chores mostly just included tending the plant life and preserving the human ruins, 7 made sure they don't try to fudge their duties (this happens occasionally) and was always nearby. The twins have gathered some water to give to a small tree growing just outside the entrance of their home.

Just as 3 and 4 were about to dump their water at the trunk they are startled by a sudden clang from behind them. The twins hid behind the skinny-trunked tree and peered out to see an old can had been knocked over behind them. An eerie green glow faintly pulsed from behind the can, almost welcoming them into to have a look. Curious, but cautious these twins are. 4, more cautious than curious, tailed 3 as they shuffled toward the gleaming glow. Perhaps it's another form of life!

Well, in that case they would be right, but this wasn't a welcomed creature. The container clashed to the side revealing a small but forbidding Beast. 3 and 4 were not able to get a good look at the sleek machine (nor did they even want to, as they just wanted to escape) before the golden talisman attached to his skull lit up. Briefly three shining green beams came from the talisman but quickly turned into red beams. A blast of red light exploded from the twins and was consumed by the Beast with a talisman on his head. The sucking stopped suddenly and 3 and 4 dropped abruptly to the ground.

The new small Beast, known as a Skout, swiftly took a few steps back on its two-jointed steel-and-bone hind legs. He shook is rat skull head and whip lash tail and cried out a quick cackle of satisfaction. With a click of his long skinny fingers and crack of his jaw, the raptor-like Beast sprinted off at blinding pace.

3 and 4 lying lifelessly on the ground were discovered by 7 who heard the noises. The twins rose and pushed themselves to their feet to 7's relief. 7 has not witnessed the strange encounter with the Skout, if she had she'd be chasing the tiny Beast by now.

"3, 4, what was the noise?" She asked sternly, "You better not have been fooling around."

The twins quickly shook their heads.

"Well, what was the noise? What happened?" She asked a bit more softly

The two searched their memories that were mostly full of all the information they've gathered at the library and of the recent event of defeating the Fabrication machine, but could find nothing on what had happened only seconds ago. After flashing their eyes to each other, desperately looking for the answer, they both drew blanks. In defeat, they shrugged with disappointed frowns.

7 wasn't happy that she didn't have an answer but, having a sensitivity for the kids, accepted their loss and put her hands over their hoods.

"That old can must have bonked you on the heads real good" Usually 7 wouldn't let anything go without investigating but after the death of the Fabricator even she was convinced there was nothing to fear, 7 went on playfully, "You weren't just trying to make an excuse to stay in the Museum all day, where you?"

Soon the situation turned into a frisky wrestling match between 7 and the twins. This lighthearted moment was soon interrupted by the last of the surviving ragdoll beings, 9. He entered over a tall hill of human junk, holding a reconstructed light bulb staff. His smooth figure darkened by the fading pink clouds that are now a more quiet purple and red. 7 nudged 3 off her and stood up, greeting the youngest Stitchpunk with a;

"Where have you been all day?"

9 reached the pale white doll, dipping his head in greeting.

"I was mostly out looking for new things" 9 said

"_Mostly_?" 7 raised a stitched eyebrow

"Oh, the rest of the day I was at the Memorial" 9 admitted quietly

"You've been spending a lot of time there recently, is something wrong?" Asked a concerned 7

If it had been any other time between then and the Fabricator's defeat, 9 would have told her "yes". Being the lastborn, 9 hadn't had much time to become acquainted with the other five ragdolls who where then dead. Almost every day he would visit the Memorial and talk to the deceased doll's graves. Every time he went he believed more and more they where there with him, but he was always let down realizing they're gone. But not anymore, 9 seemed strangely happy after visiting the grave.

"No, no! There's not something wrong, there's something right!" 9 said

Something right? 7 couldn't understand what he meant; he'd just gotten back from the burial ground of his best friend, what could be right about that? Before she could speak 9 answered.

"I was talking to 5 and I felt something. I know I could feel it, he spoke back to me, 7!"

"What?" 7 didn't believe this, she glanced at the twins who had their heads turned to the side puzzled, and she looked back to him, "What'd he say?"

"Um, he really didn't say anything" 9 confessed, "But I could feel him, you know, like he wanted to say something back. Do you know what I mean?"

7 did not know what he meant. She knew he missed the friends dearly and was having a hard time letting them go. She was convinced he would accept it eventually but there was no reason to spoil his mood now.

"Yes 9, I understand" She said

"Great!" 9 said and smiled in thought, "7, I've got a big surprise for you tomorrow"

7 was taken by the change in subject. She liked surprises, good surprises – for her. 9 wasn't exactly the best at impressing the female ragdoll but she enjoys his goofy charm. It only made her wonder what could be tomorrow's big surprise.

"It's getting dark out" 9 said after a pause as he walked into the Museum that now had an orange glow from candlelight within, "We should go in"

While the Museum had an energy of calm, safety and unity the same could not be said for the massive looming building that was slowly growing back to its original form outside the destroyed walls of the Human-City. Where there once was a forest all that was left was a desert of fine brown sand, black dead trees and ghostly remains of the human resistance to the machines. In this dead wood were the tall remains of great steel pumps that gorged themselves on the oil that was once mined there. They all surrounded the enormous factory building like an army that slowly took over the forest.

The Factory was the caustic and imposing fortress of the great Fabrication machine created by three tall towers and a steep angular building. It was made of a dark and powerful metal. Always seeming to surround it was a toxic sky of green, red and black clouds.

The Skout made his way back to the base of his creator at blinding speed, hopping over ruins with ease and agility. The swift Beast made from a model bike and a rat skeleton dashed through the mine shaft leading into the Factory. He finally entered the massive chamber, lit by a furnace turning everything an unnatural red, where the Fabricator continued to work on his latest project. All around the repaired Fabricator where small machines he created to repair his Factory at work rebuilding the roof. The Fabricator noticed the Skout with the talisman on his head and pushed himself toward the Beast.

Finally, a soul has been captured and he would have enough power to last him into the future. The Skout bowed to his master, who eagerly awaited the energy, and pressed the talismans buttons in sequence. But nothing happened.

The Fabricator was not amused by this let down and commanded the Skout to give him the soul. The Skout pushed the buttons again and this time his creator noticed they were pushed in the wrong order. The massive machine shrieked a frustrated roar and took the talisman, and the Skouts head along with it. He took the Skout's skull off and pushed the buttons in the right order.

He held the small gold trinket in between two enormous claws and focused his bright red eye carefully on it. Inside he made out two red figures in the glowing sea of green. Perhaps this was not a total loss; perhaps this was even better than his previous plan! The pathetic Stitchpunk had thwarted his previous attempt to take them by force, why try that again? If these creatures where so affective in defeating a behemoth like him they should be able to destroy themselves! It was only logical.

The Fabricator swung out a long iron arm summoning another pack of Skouts. He placed the talisman upon the head of the largest Skout and pointed them in the direction of the Memorial.

It was early sunrise and everything blue and gray from the night was starting to sport a new orange sunlit glow. While one may be disturbed by the death and destruction that plagued the Human-City, that was not the case through the eyes of the Stitchpunk beings; the outcrops of fallen stone buildings, decaying cars and scattered human rubbish seemed artfully beautiful in the gold glow of the rising sun.

Out of a long black shadow of a half-buried hubcap scurried 9, he turned back at a call from 7;

"Can I take this off now?" She asked fallowing him out of the shadow poking at a black scrap of fabric tied around her optics

"Almost there, just fallow my voice" He answered stepping back into the clearing in the street, she walked to his side, "Now"

She untied the scrap and was greeted by the golden light of the rising sun in her face. After blinking off the bright light she saw an unsuspected and troubling sight. In front of her was the clearing in the street where five graves where set up, the Memorial. A sad dark cloud rolled over the sky.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked trying to hide the sternness in her tone

She turned her head toward the youngest Stitchpunk; he didn't show any signs of being bothered by this, he was, in fact, almost smiling. 9 looked back at her with a look of optimism and replied;

"I must show you something" He took her hand and walked her to the grave labeled "5", he released her and whispered, "Talk to them"

7 quickly stared back at 9, her expression was questioning.

"9, I–" She was interrupted

"Just try" He urged

7 couldn't ignore his pleading eyes. He really believed he could talk to his diseased kin. 7 before had noticed he began to grow more distant to her and the twins and more attached – no, obsessed – with the Memorial. She didn't want to trouble him any further so she complied, thinking it was better if he was with her to find that the others were truly dead.

"5" She called half-heartedly

"Louder" 9 pressed

"5, are you there? It's me, 7" She raised her voice

There was silence. 7 was about to turn to tell 9 they're never coming back when the sad cloud was pushed away and the golden glow of sun-rise came back. The short grass ruffled and bushed against her feet, she was hit by a warm wind.

"7"

"9?" She answered softly turning toward him

"I didn't say anything" 9 told her as he approached

"5?" She asked herself quietly turning her head toward the warm orange sky

7's head was swimming with wonder. Maybe 9 wasn't going mad, maybe it was she who was wrong. How could she be so dense, there was a reason as to why he was always visiting this place!

"How?" 7 asked turning toward him

"I'm not sure exactly but I've been hearing voices since the grasses started growing here" 9 explained crouching to stroke the soft green grass, "I swear I could see it glow sometimes too. Maybe they're somehow alive in the plants, like-"

"Like their souls have moved there from the sky-water" 7 finished his thought

The pair of Stitchpunks jumped at a sudden snarl. It sounded too familiar, too familiar to be true – but it was true!

"Beasts!" 7 scowled

Over the tall towers of building bricks jumped many thin black figures. A huge dark red cloud swallowed the golden sun and the metal and bone bodies of the tiny Beasts where revealed. There were at least a dozen pairs of beady red eyes watching the pair from all sides. 9's head spun, staring at the pack of Skouts that surrounded them in disbelief.

"No. Impossible." He stammered as the rat-headed creatures briskly closed in on them

He suddenly saw something at first he could not believe. One of these unreal machines held a limp body in his skinny claws- it was the body of 5!

7 let out a fierce cry and knocked one small machine off his feet with a powerful blow. She was pushed into the hard ground by heavy steel claws. She swung her head up, the blur of black and grey stopping at the alpha Skout's large skull and on his forehead was the talisman. 7 struggled to get her arms out from under the Beast's feet as the talisman started to spark with red.

"7!" 9 cried but was knocked over by the whiplash tail of a Beast

The dark was lit up by a bright forbidding beam of red being sucked up from 7's eyes. 9 pushed the tiny Skout off him and ran toward her but she flopped over lifelessly. The pack of Skouts dashed back up the bricks.

9 dropped to the ground by her, convinced she was gone but her optics opened and she leaned up.

"What happened?" She asked him, "What about the grass?"

"What?" He said, "You where just attacked by a Beast, I thought you were killed"

"Beasts?" 7 asked

"They had the talisman, and they had 5. Quick, we have to catch them!" 9 sprung to his feet and sprinted off after the pack

"9, wait! What are you talking about!" 7 yelled after him and fallowed

Not too far ahead of him was the pack of evil machines, they moved at twice his speed, he was lucky he moved when he did or he never would have caught up. 9 quickly got tired just keeping pace with the bolting Beasts. Using his last scrap of energy, he leaped after the alpha Skout and grabbed hold of the talisman attached to his head.

The Skout flung his head around and bucked his legs into the air to try and dislodge the determined Stitchpunk.

"9!" 7 screamed jumping over the pile of human rubbish behind them

9 pushed his hand into the buttons of the talisman and it began to spark with red. 7 stopped dead as she watched a blast of red energy taken from 9. His body dropped to the ground and the pack dashed over a human car and away. 7 ran over to him and pushed his body face up. His optics blinked opened.

"What were you thinking?" 7 growled

"What'd I do?" 9 asked bewilderedly

"Go after that group of Beasts all alone, what where you trying to do?"

"The Beasts? I remember them but I can't-" He paused, "I don't know, I don't remember what I was doing. I'm sorry."

She helped him up and they looked around to the dark clouds that obliterated the happy orange glow. It was clear their time of peace was at an end.

"I can't believe there are still machines around, how could this have happened?" 9 asked himself

"Since there are Beasts running around now we have to find 3 and 4 and make sure they don't get hurt" 7 asked running in the direction of the Museum

"Right." 9 quickly agreed and fallowed her

The pair of rag dolls fled across the junkyard of demolished cars back to their home. Above the land there came a dark storm of shifting clouds and quickly covered all the above golden sunrise. Going across the ever-darkening clouds we find the source of the smog. Out of the three tall towers (one of which is still broken) poured morphing monsters of black smoke. The Factory vomited its gaseous waste high into the sky; the sun had been reduced to a red glow behind the storm of smoke.

On the ground a group of tiny steel feet tapped across a fallen turret. The group of Skouts hopped over the wide stream of shallow green water, runoff from a nearby contaminated river. As they walked out from behind the hunk of metal we could the Factory close by, now almost completely repaired; small orange dots flashed as builder machines continued to make final repairs, the high window glowed red from the burning furnace within. The pack ran in closer to their lair, one Skout held a thin pale tawny body made from canvas.

The alpha Skout and his large pack walked to a mound of sand just outside the Factory's entrance. As his pack bolted into the Factory the alpha Skout stayed. The small group that had recovered 1's body appeared and the alpha ordered the with flick of his head for the other smaller group to enter. All the groups had come back now and the alpha Skout ran in behind the other machines.

The small group entered the Fabricator's chamber and placed their prize in the pile with the other bodies. The pile now consisted of all five of the bodies of the dead Stitchpunks – strangely all appeared to have been halfheartedly repaired. The large group of Skouts tossed the body of 5 onto the pile.

The massive machine held an unusual creation, it was very small – smaller than even a Skout, and made from a white fabric. He paused from his work to watch a cat-skull beast approach him; she rolled a barrel of oil to him (quite easily because of her great strength). The Cat Beast walked out from behind her oil offering with her prize – a tattered note book held carefully in her jaws. The Fabricator took the book in a small-sized arm. The Cat Beast bowed her head and sat waiting for her next order.

The Fabricator machine swung his eye around and watched the alpha Skout taking up red energy from the individuals in the body pile. The Fabricator moved his body toward the alpha Skout who loyally accepted his fate and stood toward him. The Skouts skull was gone with the swipe of the machine's massive hand and his body clunked into the ground, the other Skouts scattered away screeching. The talisman was taken off the rat skull and held with care in the Fabricator's smallest claw. Out of the pile he plucked 1's lifeless body.

He observed with his great red eye the notes in the journal the Cat Beast had recovered, the dead Stitchpunk and finally the body of his own rag doll being. All seemed consistent, the puny creature was constructed correctly.

The Fabricator closed the scientist's journal, he stared for a while at it without realizing he was wasting time. The great machine had an unexplainable bonding to the item, he couldn't understand what his connection was to it. Could that have been emotion he felt? His huge red eye shifted from 1's body to the drawing in the journal and back. Could he have been feeling a connection to the puny doll creatures? He ran a claw along the canvas body, as if remembering his creator. Why must these creatures be destroyed? Could they be allies?

No. Not those who have caused him such difficulties. Never.

He threw the dead Stitchpunk to the ground, breaking off 1's already mangled hand as he slammed into the ground. The Fabricator swung and arm out to order the Cat Beast to dispose of the Stitchpunk bodies. But the great Fabricator was not ready to let go of the journal. He placed it upon a platform – the Winged Beast preached there fluttered away to another platform.

A bright red glow flashed for a few seconds. A red beam went into the eyes of the Fabricator's first rag doll. The doll's head drooped over after the red flash was gone. The Fabricator watched anxiously. Was it a success? He couldn't wait so he jolted his arm.

Silted optics slowly clicked open for the first time. The little white leather head rose up, the silted eyes flickered a little before becoming pure red lights. The Fabricator put his creation onto a platform. The rag doll stumbled over and lie on the ground before being hastily pushed up by the machine's claw.

"Up. On your feet." Sounded the Fabricator's deep mechanical voice in the rag doll's ears

The thin white creature stumbled then stood up and moved his head around, taking in his environment. He turned behind him and looked into the face of another white creature. He jumped but soon approached it, tapping at the invisible shield separating them with his silver claw. The Fabricator watched impatiently as the ragdoll tapped the mirror. Soon he realized it was only his reflection and saw another like him in the form of a drawing in a book. He ran over, nearly tripping on his bone tail. The Fabricator watched, puzzled.

"Friend." The white doll whispered rubbing his head on the paper

Suddenly the book was slammed shut by a massive metal claw. The leather doll jumped and fell over his own tail. He cowered at the massive machine as he boomed;

"No! That is the enemy!" Bright sparks flashed from the Fabricator's eye

"Enemy." The white doll nodded, he pushed himself up on his two-jointed legs and looked at the Fabricator and reluctantly asked, "Who am I?"

"You are my creation and are to obey me and only me. Your life and energy revolves around my will and my will only." Said the mechanical voice, "You shall be known as -1. Now bow to your master."

"But I-"

The doll was forced onto his hands and knees by a stamp being pressed into his back. The Fabricator swung a massive arm across the doll. His silted eyes opened and he found he was not harmed. He saw in the mirror his back had been stamped with a red "1" and across the number was a dripping red slash. He looked back to his creator in fear, his scrawny body trembled.

"Notice your pitiful frame. I had not created you to be useful in battle. You are but a test for the others to come." The Fabricator explained

The words stung the leather doll. He looked at his body. He was made from white leather with two buckles across the torso that held shut his stitched up chest. His hands and feet where thin silver claws. His tail was made from a spine with a silver stinger at the end – his only defense. His face was long and thin. He had needle-sharp silver fangs. He accepted the Fabricator's words.

"I do have use for you, frail machine. Since I have granted you with my own knowledge regarding ruling over a group of machines and since you are the eldest – I choose you as the leader of your bothers to be born. I trust you to keep them in line in case their human souls get the best of them" Said the Fabricator, "Your single purpose is to destroy the tiny human creatures. Do you understand, -1?"

-1 fell to his knees and put his head into the ground. He loyally responded;

"Yes master."

The shadowy smog still hung low and dark in the morning sky the next day. The sun was able to penetrate the dark and shine through when it rose that morning. The sky became lit up with yellow in the places where the smog was thin. The bleak glow lit up the center of the Human-City. It was a large circular clearing that once had stone masonry on the ground surrounding a large fountain in the center. Now the war and many years had passed, there where large patches where the stone was gone and there grew small fields of tall grass. Lines of tall grass poked out of the thin spaces between the blocks of stone. In the center, the fountain was gone, crushed by a massive tree whose seed grew in the shallow waters of the fountain. The bleak yellow glow filtered in from the tree's leaves splotching the grass and stone below with swaying light.

The Cat Beast with her jaws full of limp bodies of fabric approached the Clearing. She threw her skull and released the bodies to tumble across the ground. She briefly disrespectfully scarped some dirt over the scattered bodies and bounded away back to the Factory.

A faint green pulse flashed in the enormous tree's leaves. Slowly the faint green pluses became more close together and less faint as they glided down the tree to its trunk. Across the high grass swept more green beats all heading toward the tree. At the tree's base the Stitchpunk's bodies absorbed the glowing pluses that came into them. Suddenly the green waves stopped.

A single optic opened up, behind his eye there was final green glow and then it vanished. 5 leaned his sore body up and sat upright and ran a hand along his aching spine.

"Ohh, why do I hurt so much?" He asked himself

Suddenly he jolted and looked at his copper hands. His eye ran down along his body that was now attached to him. His hands hastily prodded himself to make sure he was truly there. He didn't know what to think, the last thing he remembered clearly was his death and after that – his release from the talisman, was all a blur. But he remembered it nonetheless. 5 pushed himself to his feet. He finally focused on his surroundings and noticed his other kin where starting to come around.

When 2 awoke his legs where racked with pain but it was odd that he had legs at all, they had been lost when he was attached to the Seamstress. He quickly concluded he must have been repaired; it was barely a sufficient job as he couldn't stand with his new legs so weak.

_Who would have repaired me but not taken the time to do it properly?_ He asked himself

Before he could answer the question he heard 5 stutter;

"I'm alive – I mean, I'm here, in my body. How?"

"I can't say for sure" 2 responded as he propped himself up using a forked branch nearby, "You might believe the theory that souls grow and regenerate over time."

2's branch slipped and he nearly fell over if he were not caught by 8. It was clear that 8's body should have been badly burnt as he was left in the Factory when it exploded years ago but that was not so. His skin appeared to have been replaced with a pale orange-tawny canvas (very similar to his pervious pelt) that was poorly sewn together. The new pelt further puzzled 2, 8 didn't seem to understand it either, although he didn't have any complaints.

6 woke up and seemed the most surprised. His head swung around looking at his body, the stains of ink on him where now all blurred as if they had been in water. 6 pushed himself up and mumbled to himself as he walked to 2 and 8, the words where untranslatable. It was clear something was wrong.

"But why now?" 5 asked handing 2 another forked branch, "If that's true wouldn't we have came back sooner?"

"Or at all." Scoffed 1 walking over to the group, his arm was pressed up against his body like a dog with a hurt paw, only his hand was gone

"You're limping." 2 told him, clearly concerned

"Your hand's off!" 5 blurted

"I'll cope, I'm sure I'm not the only one wounded." Although 1 was fighting the urge to wail in pain, he didn't want to look weak in front of them and he immediately took charge of the situation, "My problem is none of your concern, we must now focus at the task at hand."

"We have to find 9 and the others." 5 said

"No, not yet" 1 attempted to hold back the annoyance is his words, "It's obvious all of us are in pain, some needing immediate treatment" He eyed 2 as he held himself up with his two twig-crutches, "We must find shelter and repair ourselves first."

"But you just said we're all hurt" 5 reluctantly spoke up again, "Wouldn't walking make it worse. We have to treat ourselves now."

"No, we must find shelter" 1 insisted

"W-Who says we have to do what you say, you're not the boss of us anymore" 5 tried to sound brave as he spoke the words

"No 5, he's right" 2 said, "We can't be out here in the open, who knows how long we've been gone. It could be dangerous and we aren't in any shape to be dealing with danger if something happens."

"Do you remember how bad he was before? Think for yourself." 5 knew the eldest Stitchpunk was trying to work his way back into his old position as patriarch

"I am, I think he's right, 5." 2 responded

"A group must have a leader." 1 added

5 shot 1 a glare, 1 quickly backed away from his statement as 5 angrily growled;

"9 was a greater leader than you'll ever be."

"But he isn't here now and if anyone else feels fit for the position . . ." His narrow eyes scanned the other four in his group, he knew none of them would take his offer

Understand, reader, that 1 was not intent on regaining his monarchial high-status lifestyle he had (and very much enjoyed) before. He knew he'd done wrong and wanted to redeem himself by becoming a better, more fair, leader.

"Very well. We shall briefly split up and scout for a home sufficient enough and report back at this clearing at sunset or sooner" 1 articulated holding his head high, it felt good to be in charge again, but he mustn't lose control of himself this time he remembered, "You my choose your groups."

Obviously 1 and 8 went together on their marry way heading west. When 2 asked 5 if he would come with him to look south, 5 declined:

"5, let's see if we can't find anything over there" 2 said pointing a claw toward the demolished slums of the Human-City

"No, um, I think I'll go on my own." 5 responded blankly looking an area of human homes to the east

"I'll come with you."

"No, I'll be fine. Um, you can go with 6, I don't think 6 is okay alone" 5's voice shook and he tilted his head toward 6 who was still mumbling to himself

"Well, okay 5, if that's what you want." 2 gave him a worried look the turned and limped to 6, "Come here 6, we're going this way."

And the crippled inventor and troubled artist left the Clearing. 5 looked around to make sure no one was still there. 5 ran toward the massive tree. As he scrambled up the remains of the fountain at its roots he spoke to himself;

"I can't let 1 get into power again, I don't care what he says – he hasn't changed at all." 5 crawled up the thick grey-brown bark of the tree, "I need to find 9, he'll know what to do."

5 grunted at his pulled himself atop of massive branch sticking out of the tree's trunk. He ran out to the end of the branch where twigs full of long feathered green leaves hung down almost to the ground. 5 searched the shambles below.

"Where is it? Where is it?" 5 breathed looking for the landmark that would tell him where the Memorial was

5 wasn't quite sure why he was looking for the Memorial but for some reason he knew his friend came there. His eye focused on a tall apartment building whose bottom was almost completely blown away, nothing but a wood skeleton.

"The Workshop, that means the Memorial's close by." He looked at the orange shimmer poking out of the grey red-pink clouds and said, "That's east. I'm coming 9."

5 crouched and grabbed one of the massive tree's long leaves. He jumped and slid down to the ground and ran toward the direction of the Workshop.

Meanwhile in the slums of the Human-City 2 and 6 slowly made their way across the demolished stone and wood ruins. This area was perhaps the least cheery in the Human-City; all the poorly built houses where knocked down, only four or five still stood on creaking foundations. There was no street to speak of, it was all shattered glass, wood splinters and chunks of brick walls – however it was all well trampled so it wasn't much of an obstacle for 2 who walked on crutches. Hallow corpses of both human and machine littered this area. Because of the ground covered so thickly in debris, little plants where allowed to grow, some tufts of grass and the occasional blue flower. While most of the sky was red-orange, smog from the Factory close by blew there putting the whole area in a dark blue shadow.

"There must have been heavy fighting here" 2 said as he limped across a slab of bricks, "I can only imagine what these people must have felt, hiding in such flimsy houses."

"No, no, it's not right. We shouldn't be here, we can't, no." 6 muttered clutching the key around his neck and staring foreword wide-eyed

"Hm? 6, what's wrong?" 2 asked turning toward him

6 froze and continued to handle his key.

"We're trapped, we're trapped. Something went wrong. We shouldn't be here. It's wrong, it's wrong" He panted

2 heard something metal clang on the ground behind him. He turned his head around and jumped at the sight he beheld. A long-legged, spine-backed, cat-skulled monster stood atop an ex-chimney digging in the shattered stone. She clearly hasn't spotted them but it would be long before she started to head that way. 2 wasted no time and shoved 6 with his body.

"Quickly, hide. This way, go." He hissed pushing 6 toward a small cave made from two large stones and a window with a striped wool sweater atop

The Cat Beast rose her head and looked in their direction and began stalking toward them, 2 wasn't sure if she was aware of them yet. 2 was forced to use one of his legs, he let go of a crutch to grab 6's hand as 6 refused to move. Limping on one twig he dragged 6 into the cave. 2 pushed himself and 6 against a brick on one side of the hole.

"No, no. This wasn't supposed to happen. We're trapped now, it's wrong." 6 continued to mumble, the screeching of the Beast's joints came closer, her curious growls sounded behind them, "We're stuck in our bodies, it's wrong"

"Shhh." 2 breathed covering 6's mouth but he continued to mumble softly then was silent

It was quiet. Where'd she go? Did the Beast leave? There was tapping of metal on the window glass above. The Cat Beast's purrs rumbled from above. Suddenly it was bright in the cave. Above them they saw the underside of the machine, the blue and black-striped sweater that concealed them clutched in her jaws.

2 and 6 stared up, trying to push themselves into the tiny shadow under the stone and looking at the Beast wide-eyed. The purrs stopped at the Beast looked down into the cave. Her red eye twitched as she looked down. Into the cave reached the dark grey metal claw. A claw grazed 2's leg and growling shook the cave from above. She finally got hold of her target. The Cat Beast pulled a paint brush head out from under the cave and jumped off of the glass.

Her screeching joints and purrs quickly faded away into nothing. 2 and 6 cautiously emerged from their hiding spot. The Cat Beast was long gone but there was no way to tell which direction she went.

"We have to tell the others, let's go 6" 2 whispered nudging the striped doll

2 limped back, holding himself on one twig. 6 stared into the Emptiness and quietly said;

"We'll fight ourselves now." And 6 turned and blindly fallowed 2 back to the Clearing.

During this 1 and 8 made their way across a much less damaged area in the Human-City. It was sun-high and the sky was covered with orange and black clouds and still they continued to search of a decent home. 8 pointed out many mostly undamaged human buildings but 1 didn't dub any of them as fit, 8 didn't object to the eldest Stitchpunk's stubbornness and continued to fallow him as he walked through the Emptiness.

Suddenly 1 halted, something had caught his eye. It wasn't shelter but it was something familiar to him. Out upon the end of large splinter of pale wood was his old hat he'd worn was a sign of authority when he was still the monarch of the Sanctuary. He couldn't help himself but to walk to it. How could it have gotten there? Perhaps it was a sign that he should reclaim his former position, although 1 wasn't one to believe in signs. He came to the end of the beam and slid it off the end and stared at the white object.

"8, was I really as bad as 5 said I was?" 1 asked blankly staring at his single claw

8 didn't have the slightest clue as to what he should say, he didn't believe he was mistreated but wasn't sure what the others felt.

A creek sounded from the splinter of wood. 1 jolted and noticed it was starting to break. He looked down and saw below him was the slanted face of a stone building diving down into darkness below. He yelped and started to run back but the wood cracked in half with a snap and he tumbled down the stone building.

1 was slammed with great bricks as he slid down. His only hand caught a glass ink bottle lodged in-between two bricks. Below him he watched his hat roll down into the abyss. He looked up and saw 8 watching helplessly from the ledge above.

"8! Help me!" He cried

8 didn't know what to do. The ledge was too steep to climb down. He spotted a beam of wood that lead to the bottom of the drop. The bricks that held the ink bottle in place came off in a puff of dust. 1's shriek echoed through the Emptiness as he and the ink bottle continued the slip down into the darkness.

1 impacted the hard stone below, there was the shattering of glass and white ash flew up from the fallen rag doll. After a moment of still 1 leaned up with a moan, and noticed he'd landed right on the glass ink bottle. He got to his feet and looked into a nearby shard of orange glass to make sure he wasn't hurt. He hadn't been cut by the shattered ink bottle thanks to his thick canvas skin but there was a strange stain of his back now. Right beside his number was a circular stain, "0".

He hoped it would wash off when his eyes wondered about the dark area. He spotted his hat had landed on a pure white shred of silk. He retrieved it, he also took the white silk. Out of an old habit he put it over himself. He was surprised to find it fit him perfectly, it ran over his body stopping just at his feet, scraps that dangled from the side covered his arms like sleeves. . Not only did it fit him, he looked good he noted as he admired himself in the glass shard. 1 put his hat atop his head, took one last glance at his refection and turned to find a way out.

"Where am I?" He asked himself straying out from behind the steel wall he'd landed by

1 could not believe the sight he beheld. In front of him lied a massive human building. In its main chamber was a huge human air vehicle that had fallen in during a blaze. At the end of the chamber was a circular stain glass design most of which had been blown out to due to the fire's heat. Because of the hole in the roof he stared up at the bell tower of the cathedral. It was almost totally untouched by the flame due to its being made from mostly stone. The Sanctuary was covered in a ghostly white ash.

"I can't believe it . . . my Sanctuary." He whispered taking steps closer to the tower

His feet brushed against something. 1's eyes shifted down and found another ghost from the past – it was his old staff made from a needle, clock gear and bell (although the bell was gone now). He held it in his claw. 1 was startled by a noise from behind.

8 had finally made his way down the leaning wall of the cathedral.

"8, come here! You must see!" 1 called

8 emerged from behind the airplane's bent wing and gasped in awe. The Sanctuary was almost all still standing, only the hole in the roof was much bigger as the plane fell in. Most of the wood was charred white but all the stone was left standing. The cathedral was still an imposing fortress.

"This is it, we shall come back here. There still is no better safe area. See, my tower's still intact!" 1 said, "We just have to find a new way up. Come, we must tell the others!"

So he and 8 hurried out of the tall human door at the back of the Sanctuary to tell the others of their miraculous find.

5 finally made it to the Memorial. He pulled himself over the hill of human rubbish unaware there was a cleared path just a few inches away.

"9! 9! We're back! 9!" He shouted

But no one answered. 5's pride was shot when he looked down into the Memorial to find nothing but his own grave. 9 wasn't here but he must be somewhere. He has to find 9 before 1 becomes too controlling. 5 looked ahead of him and saw the shadows of the graves growing, the bleak orange sun was sinking in the grey clouds.

"Sunset already?" 5 blurted, "I'll have to come back later. I sure hope my bad feeling about 1 is wrong."

The sun was already behind the horizon by the time 5 made it back to the Clearing. He came into the meeting where everyone was gathered gasping for breath.

"I'm here." He panted

"Good." Said 1

5 put his head up and saw 1's new attire, clad in his old hat and staff wearing a white cloak. It was too familiar of a costume. It certainly didn't help ease 5's suspicions.

"Now report – have any of you find any proper housing?" 1 asked

"No." 5 answered

"Well you were out so long, I'm surprised you didn't find anything useful. Where have you been that took you so long to come back from?"

"Um, I just headed east as far as I could. I guess I just lost track of time." 5 decided it was best not to tell 1 he was looking for 9 rather than fallowing what he told him to do

"Well be more careful next time." 1's gaze moved to 2 and 6, "And what of you?"

"We found no shelter but we did find – something else." 2 reported

"What then?"

"I hope I don't frighten any of you but its better you know: while scouting, 6 and I stumbled upon the Cat Beast."

"The _what_?" 1 barked

"Where you hurt?" 5 asked

"Impossible! Cat Beast was killed, the machine and its minions where killed. You must be losing your mind!" Snarled 1 pounding his staff on the ground

"I can't deny what I saw."

"If Cat Beast is around then there is only all the more urgency to find a safe shelter. I have discovered the Sanctuary and the tower is still intact, we will go there, it is nearby." 1 swiped his staff as he swing around to start the trek

"No, we aren't going to just say and hide again. You remember what good that did us last time!" 5 suddenly felt a pang of courage as 1 halted and swung his head toward him

"I know very well of my prior mistakes! There is no need to add salt to my wounds!" 1 snapped, "If you want to pursue the Beast and discover answers then I won't stop you. Now, come along."

With that 1 spoke no more. The group of five Stitchpunks left the Clearing, 1 leading the group and 2 and 5 lagging at the end. 6 was also quiet but his eyes said he was still troubled. The Sanctuary was on the horizon.

"5, you shouldn't be too hard on him" 2 said to his apprentice

"Why, he deserves it." 5 said coldly

"That might be but that's no reason to take is dignity. 1 needs to feel like he's needed, so do you and so do I. He only wants to help."

"Okay, but I'm keeping an eye on him."

2 smiled and added, "We're going to be kept busy tonight, I think I'm going to need completely new legs."

It was early the next day and the sun had not yet risen. The Memorial was still in the dark blue color of night, as was 9 who had been standing in front of 5's grave for quite a while. The white glow of daybreak loomed on the horizon behind 5's grave. There was no noise, the wind was dead.

"5, I'm confused. I don't know what's happening; I saw machines yesterday when I was here. That's all I remember, but I know something else was wrong." 9 said to the grave, "5, please, I need you to guide me."

But he was greeted with no answer, only the still frigid sunrise. Shadows appeared but all else was still. 9 grew anxious.

"5, I need you." 9 took a step closer to the grave, "Please. 5. 5!"

But his cries remained unanswered. No warm wind, no faint voice to guide him. It was like their spirits had all vanished from that place.

"Answer me!" He hollered but only his own echo answered him, vibrating through the entire Human City

Distraught, he turned and began to exit the Memorial just as the sun turned everything the orange morning color.

"9, there you are!" 7 called as she and the twins sprinted toward him, "You weren't in the Museum, I thought you might have been taken. What are you doing here?" 7's tone wasn't angry but concerned and fearful

9's head rose as he walked toward her. He glanced back at the cold gravesite.

"They didn't answer me, 7." 9 looked back to the white Stitchpunk, "They're gone."

7 had just begun to believe her friends could be contacted and now she was told they weren't answering anymore. 3 and 4 could sense her sadness and held her closer to try and cheer her up.

"We have to head back home, we're in danger if we're out here without anything to defend ourselves with" 7 said after a sigh, "We'll investigate tomorrow after we've made weapons"

As the group of four moved across the Emptiness back to their home looming high in the distance was the Sanctuary. The cathedral stood steady still, well build from stone. Although the subsections have collapsed after the fire, the main chamber and the clock tower where still there. After the plane fell down the hole it made was covered in an outcrop of bricks from the roof, it would take any machine while to climb over and as for a Stitchpunk – the climb was out of the question.

The orange morning didn't last as the sun was blocked by a huge black beast of a cloud. The darkness in the Sanctuary was lit by a struck match. 5 lit a half-melted candle with his match and shook the fire out. He went back to his work – rebuilding the pulley-powered elevator.

Not far off was 1, sitting on a soot covered wood beam holding a silver coin he'd found. He now had both hands – his right hand was much better built, made from a molded brass bullet casing. His new gold hand was stronger, more opposable and sported some fairly nasty looking claws. 1 was fascinated by the new coin; he appeared to like it very much. On its front was a risen "10" in shining silver. He remembered the zero-shaped stain on his back.

"10." He whispered in himself, "10 is perfection."

It was then when 2 walked over. He had new legs build for him by 5, they couldn't be seen because he had already been stitched up. 2's new legs worked just as well as anyone else's, although he was a little unsteady on them still.

"How is that new hand working?" 2 asked

1 glanced up and flexed his right hand.

"It will do, I suppose." He answered dryly, "Are your legs repaired now?"

"I'm still getting use to them, but it's certainly better than using sticks for legs."

"Indeed." 1 removed his hat from his head and held it in his new gold claw

"Is something bothering you?" 2 asked

"Let's not fool ourselves, 2; I do no good for us anymore, look at me." 1 moaned as he stood on his feet, "I think it's best if I just leave and find a nice place to curl up and just pass away. 5 certainly wouldn't have any objections to that."

"Stop that. We need you here." 2 said firmly

"For what? I'm no use for physical labor, nor do I know anything of the sort of healing."

2 put his claws on 1's shoulders and answered;

"A group must have a leader."

1's eyes widened, he glanced at 5 who was giving him a nasty look; obviously he'd been listening to their conversation. He turned his head back to 2. 1 was sure 2 would take his place, he knew everyone else would have enjoyed working under 2.

"But 2,you know I-"

"You deserve a second chance."

1 dipped his head, "Very well." He answered and put the silver coin onto his hat and placed it back on his head

The eldest rag doll walked toward the center of the chamber.

"Everyone, if I could have your attention for a moment, I have an announcement to make!" 1 spoke

5 turned his head toward the pale doll as 6 and 8 started to walked toward him. 5 fallowed shyly taking his place by 2. 5 knew what 1 had to say and he didn't like it.

"Yesterday it was debated on if I should reclaim my position as your leader" His narrow eyes wondered to 5 who was eying him suspiciously, "Some believed because of my past actions I am undeserving of the privilege."

5 could sense a twinge of anger in that statement.

"However, unless someone else is willing to step up, I accept 2's offer to become your leader again." 1 again waited for someone to step up to him and again nobody challenged him, he continued, "Let it be known that from this point on I shall be known and referred to as 10, your leader and elder. I, 10, promise I will try to fair to you and protect your interests."

10 paused, as if it hurt his pride to go further. He cleared his throat and ended his speech.

"If the occasion should come that an event occurs that proves me as unfit, then I grant you permission to put me on trail, my fate will be in the hands of your judgment. You will decide my penalty for any wrongdoing."

5 was surprised by this statement. He was satisfied by it also.

_If 1 – er - 10, tries anything funny he can get was he deserves,_ 5 thought, _that is if he agrees to go through with it - he'd better!_

10 spoke up, "Now, we finishing repairing my Sanctuary."

_Characters (In order of apperance/mentioning)_

***~* Stitchpunks *~***

9 . . . To Save Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from burlap, hands and feet molded from copper. Body held shut by a brass zipper. Normal height. Most advanced and refined of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - Perviously defeated the Machine, now lives in peace with the other three surviving of his family, 3, 4 and 7. Is unable to let go of his departed friends and visets the Memorial often seeking guidance.

10 . . . To Perfect Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from canvas, steel claws, poorly constructed. Held shut with two belt straps. Of average heigtht and skinny figure. The firstborn of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - Once the protective self-proclaimed leader of the Stitchpunk, lost his influance quickly once 9 appeared. Upon realizing he was no longer a use to the group, killed himself to save 9. Changed his name to 10, a number recognized as a symbol of perfection, to mark his second term and Stitchpunk leader.

2 . . . To Inspire Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from a mix of burlap, canvas and leather put together in patches, bronze hands and worn wood feet. Held shut with a shoelace. Weakest and shortest of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - An elder and kindy inventor and medic. Killed in part by 1's intention and a mistake of 9's.

5 . . . To Guide Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from pale burlap with a leather eyepatch, copper hands. Held shut with two bronze buttons. Smaller than average.

Details - Reluctant student of 2's and map-maker. Killed by the Fabrication Machine. Distrusts 10, knowing his intentions in 2's murder perviously.

8 . . . To Gaurd Us

Number Placement - Shoulder

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - New skin is a brownish-tawny fabric, steel-and-copper hands and feet. Large and bulky. Held together with two clips.

Details - A devoted fallower of 1. Killed by the Fabrication Machine.

7 . . . To Defend Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Bleached canvas-like fabric skin, copper hands and feet, held shut with a blue-green button. Smaller and more nimble than the majority of the others. Large scar on back from a battle with the Cat Beast many years ago.

Details - Perviously a loner and Beast-slayer, after the defeat of the Fabrication Machine now lives with 9, her apparent mate, and 3 and 4. Still retains her independant nature.

3 . . . To Teach Us

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Broader face, larger and hands and taller than 4.

Details - Child-like and twin of 4. More curious, outgoing and more easily hurt than his sister.

4 . . . To Define Us

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Smaller mouth, hands and slightly shorter than 3.

Details - Child-like and twin of 3. More cautious, rational and shy than her brother.

***~* The Machines *~***

Ant Driods

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male

Anatomy - Several legs and many red eyes attatched to a single black section of its body. Slightly larger than a Stitchpunk.

Details - Created by the Machine, a quick-moving minor machine used primarily to stand look-out for the Machine or collect parts for him.

The Fabrication Machine

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Massive machine with two body sections with many arms and tools attatched, one massive processor for a head with a red eye, apposable tail attached him to his Factory.

Details - His processor was built by the creator of the Stitchpunk and his massive body added on so her may create war-machines. The cause of the exermination of life. Killed by 9. Created Stitchpunk beings of his own to eliminate the original nine, however his main motivation is something unknown.

The Skouts

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male

Anatomy - Rat skull head, raptor-like body with springs in legs. Long whiplash tail. Highly aposable fingers. Stitchpunk-sized. Fairly inteligent and programed with pack mentality. Shakes victems until dead.

Details - Created by the Machine. Fast, nimble but very fragile. Used to collect items and patrol boarders.

The Cat Beast

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Long monkey-like legs, cat skull head with one lightbulb eye to see at night and spiked back. Two-and-a-half Stitchpunk heights.

Details - Created by the Machine. Nimble and powerful but uninteligent. Enjoys toying with her pray. Killed by 7 but salvaged by the Machine.

***~* Machine-Stitchpunk Hybrids *~***

-1 . . . The Innocent

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - White leather skin, frail steel claws, bone tail with stinger, needle fangs. Held shut with two buckles in an "X" across the chest. Shorter and scrawnier than 1.

Details - Created by the Machine to be the leader of the others of his kin. Skittish and very weak but self-loving and irritable.


	3. Part II: The Hybrids

**Author's Notes: **The second part where I show you a little bit of negative "culture". So we're intoduced to most of the negatives (accept -7 who I'm saving just to bug you). The reason I gave them names is so that they arn't confused with the original nine. Also we get to see Negative's treatment of his kin. A theme in the story is how one bad influance can cause a chain reaction: Slasher is as bad as he is because Negative taught him to be that way, Negative's ruthlessness is a result of being tarrorized by the Fabrication Machine, the Fabrication Machine was corrupted by the Chancellor . . . So basically, everything that everything happens in the story is the Chancellor's fault XD

Yes 7, I see similarities between you and 1, deal with it! I'd also like to mention that Negative is the repersentative of the Fabricator (their self-proclaimed god) to his kin who arn't allowed to seem him - so Negative's more close to being Pope doll than 1! But 1 will always be better in being a pimpope!

**Part II: The Negatives**

That night there was no moon to speak of. It was in the sky but behind a massive wall of choking black smog. It was a happy night for the machines at the Factory. The Fabricator had just brought to life his final rag doll, -9. Her red number was stamped upon her chest by -1 in a ritual that had honored all negative-numbered dolls (save -1 himself).

-9 was the lastborn. Strong and imposing, sitting on all fours appearing to be a black lion lit up by the red of the furnace. Built to be equal in all ways, -9 was not only an agile fighter but an intelligent philosopher. She was made from a black soft leather purse with black fur trim. The trim now ran down along her mane and back and across her chest. A silver zipper ran from the back of her head to the tip of her long tail. Her claws where of heavy iron with retractable razor claws, able to deal damaging blows and slice through fabric. Pieces of leather connected her arms to her legs giving her the ability to glide. Her eyes were red orbs glowing against her dark body. She was a beast in a rag dolls' body.

-1 was the ambassador for the Fabricator at the naming ceremony. In the ritual -9 will be given her name. -1 was never given a name but had taken it upon himself to make a name for himself; he is now known as simply Negative – Negative the firstborn. Negative had also made himself separate from his kin to remind them of his authority of above them as the Fabricator's representative. Negative was clad in a black cloak (that was too big for him) running down over her feet and dragging behind him. His sleeves came over his hands. On his head was the hood of his cloak, shaped in such a way that he would be mistaken for a cobra. He always held his snake staff: made from a femur bone with a snake skull attached to the top, behind the skull was a shining gold disk and tied to the back of that was a rattle snakes' tail.

-9 sat on a platform in front of the Fabricator, Negative stood by. All around the platform were the glowing eyes of the machines. It mostly consisted of Seekers, Skouts and Ant Machines but there was also a Cat Beast, a Winged Beast, a Seamstress and a few other new mechanical creatures. At the front of the group where twelve tiny red orbs watching, they where the other negative-numbered rag dolls. The negatives watched as their final sister was given her name.

"It is the gift of the Fabricator that we see our last sister before us. Without the Fabricator we would not exist. Hail the Fabrication Machine!" Negative shouted and the machines bowed and cheered (some of the rag dolls were less enthusiastic than others)

Negative approached -9 who promptly stood on two legs and respectfully bowed to him. Negative dipped a claw in red ink as the Fabricator looked on.

"Your training is complete and I honor you with your name. -9, you shall from now on be known as Tzarina, the queen of the Beasts, for your mastery of communicating to and controlling our machines" He crossed the "9" on her chest with a red slash, "It is of the duty of you to carry out and ensure the will of the Fabricator."

Negative stepped back to allow Tzarina to accept her praise. She pushed her head back into her chest and then thrust her body foreword while letting out a loud roar. She was answered by the roars, shrieks and screams of approval from the Beasts.

"Boy, she's got a set of pipes on her." Commented a patch-covered light gray doll

"It's not a wonder why the Beasts took a liking to her." Answered a worn and torn up four-armed doll

With the end of Tzarina's roar also ended the ritual. The Fabricator went back to building more machines. The beasts dispersed and went back to their duties. Negative went down the steps leading to the area where all his rag doll kin where gathered. Tzarina leapt down after him. The leader of the negatives was soon joined by his loyal law enforcer, -8, Slasher.

Slasher was bright red with black tar-stain markings. He was tall but very thin, if it were not for the number written on his chest one would not be able to tell he was 8's copy. Slasher was once a red pin cushion: even as a doll he retained needles, sticking from his elbows, back, claws, jaw, and head – not to mention he had the nastiest set of teeth out of the machine-made rag dolls – all to help "enforce" Negative's will. His name was given to him because he was pugnacious and would slice up whomever disobeys the firstborn leader. If that wasn't enough to keep the others in line, he sported a syringe at the end of his powerful tail, whomever was unlucky enough to be in its path when he brought it down would have been impaled.

"You, healer!" Negative demanded, the gray ragdoll immediately stood at alert, "Where is Dapple? She wasn't at the ceremony"

The gray ragdoll fidgeted with his black claws and answered meekly.

"She snuck off again."

"What!" Negative barked, "You know this, why did you not try to stop her? I'll see you sliced for this!"

"I-I tried to s-s-s-top her but she left any way!" Bright sparks came from the patch of exposed wires on the gray ragdoll's head

"Does that thick-headed girl know what danger she could put us in!" Negative shouted in a rage

"Don't get too upset Negative, she just wanted to explore a little." The four-armed rag doll spoke in a quiet voice, he tried to put a tree-clawed hand on Negative but Negative jerked away

"Her meaningless explorations could spell the end for us. Her carelessness will certainly get us discovered!" Negative snapped

"She means no harm Negative, she's just very curious." The four-armed doll said, his gray friend nodded at the statement

"I will not have it! We have rules!" Negative retorted, his silted eyes narrowing as the pair shied back

"Negative, sir." Tzarina interrupted, she clearly wasn't interested in this conversation

Negative's anger lessened a little when he turned to the newest ragdoll.

"Where is the seventh-born? I've been introduced to everyone but I've never seen a -7." Tzarina said

"Bah! -7 chose to leave us - he's off being a weak-minded coward out in the Emptiness somewhere. I say good riddance to that arrogant-"

"With all due respect Negative, _you _are the one who is the coward." The four-armed doll boldly approached the albino leader

"Don't speak to me that way you old fool! Fabricator help me, I'll have you hanged, you worthless bag of scrap!" Negative struck the old doll knocking him to the ground

The gray doll ran to the light tawny four-armed doll. Suddenly Slasher stomped a pace toward them with a roar and exposed fangs. The gray negative cowered but kept his place by his friend. Negative tugged at the rope collar tied around Slasher's neck.

"Leave them be! You need not punish them for a simple outburst. I ended it easily myself, thank you!" Negative said and Slasher went to his place back at Negative's side, "Now Sparks,"

The gray doll lifted his head at the sound of his name.

"Take Cicatrix back to his room, I've had enough of his _ideas _for tonight." Negative motioned with his claw and turned away

"Come on Cic, let's go." Sparks pulled the four-armed doll to his feet and they walked out of the chamber

Tzarina watched the two disappear into the dark room. The gray negative had a "-5" printed on his back and the tawny negative had a "-2". She looked back over to Negative who was mumbling to himself.

"Unruly wretch . . ." He hissed

"Is something bothering you, sir?" Tzarina blandly asked

"Hm? Oh, nothing I haven't been dealing with for the past few days. I'm surrounded by idiots; perhaps the Fabricator had made a mistake in making the others." Negative moaned walking to a door with steps leading down

"Me, sir?" Tzarina asked fallowing the old white rag doll as he sat down on one of the steps, his feet dangling above the below stair

"You? No, not you. I like you. Come, sit, sit." Negative offered tapping the ground beside him

Tzarina lay down with her arms neatly tucked under her chest. She wrapped her long tail around her body.

"You didn't step in when Cicatrix had an outburst. You took no side, you simply observed without a word. I had not seen anyone do that before. It means you want to learn as much as you can then make an intelligent opinion yourself, am I correct?" Negative asked, his tone was much less stinging than how he'd talked to -2 and -5 earlier  
"Yes. How do you know that?" Tzarina asked

"Ah, you're just like me." Negative smiled, exposing his needle teeth

Slasher didn't enjoy this new doll getting all of the leader's attention.

"Master, what are your orders for me?" Slasher asked rudely stepping in on their conversation

"Huh? Oh, Slasher." Negative grumbled dryly, "Go get Dapple and leave me be."

"As you wish, master" Slasher replied and took off

"You seem wise" Tzarina observed as she eyed Negative, "I want you to teach me what you know. I want to see how you see."

Negative was surprised. No one had ever wanted this from him. Slasher only wanted to serve and please him, all the others where obedient and kept their distance – but never had he been asked to become a teacher! Of course the old snake was more than happy to take in a doll as a student, a friend, perhaps even a daughter.

Small insects that had recently reappeared chirped and sang in the Emptiness. The moon was quarter-empty that night and most of the smog cleared away, reduced to only puffs of black clouds. The sky was a smooth shadowy blue dappled with orbs of white. The nighttime made the Emptiness and docile deep blue. Skittering about in this night was a single negative-numbered rag doll made of striped wool. Her sleek body covered in thick horizontal blue-and-black stripes. Her frail hands, with clay-decorating hook claws, quietly pawed the small leafy plants. She lashed her skinny tail made of yarn with a paintbrush head at the end, the tip of her tail was spotted with whiteout. At the top of her head was a tuft of white fur. She explored the plant with her claws when suddenly a small cricket jumped out of the shrub.

The sleek ragdoll with a red "-6" on her back turned and watched it hop away. She fallowed it, bounding on all fours. The insect landed on an upstanding rock with a green bush behind it.

"Wait, come back." Called the striped ragdoll slowing pace, "I just want to play."

But the cricket hopped into the bush. She dove after it, sliding off the edge of the rock and her head burst out from the other side of the bush. Soon she was far more interested in another creature. Her one round eye and one silted eye looked in delight upon the small black-and-white ragdoll sitting at the top step of a large cathedral. The black-and-white doll was staring blankly at the stars above.

"Brother" Said Dapple, the black-and-blue negative, in glee

Dapple, hardly able to contain her joy, took a bound toward 6 but her tail refused to move with her and she plopped to the ground. She swished her head around to see the spiked red torment that was Slasher, his two-hoofed gray foot on her tail. The towering red negative snorted at her dauntingly.

Dapple dropped her head and began to fallow him home without as much as a word. Her unmatching eyes glanced back at the black-and-white ragdoll desperately before she disappeared into the Emptiness.

6 sat on the highest step of the large stairway leading into the Sanctuary's only entrance. His eyes hadn't moved from the glittering dots above since they first appeared. Everyone else was asleep. He whispered quietly;

"We shouldn't be here, something's gone wrong now. Why did you send us back?" 6 desperately eyed the great blue beyond, "I don't understand. I'm scared. Maybe if I sleep you will tell me."

6 whimpered and crawled under a fallen stone slab pushed on one of the great wood doors. He hoped the purpose of his and the other's return would lie in his dreams, just like the futures that he'd witness before. 6 curled up in the darkness of his cove and quickly fell to sleep.

Inside the bell tower 10, formerly 1, the newly appointed leader, slept in his own bed made of worn white cleaning rags. The elevator to the top had not yet been built but 10 preferred being up high, like a cat, it made him feel safe. He made his makeshift room on a rafter a couple meters up. 10 had never been anyone to let himself get bogged down to too many questions but he dream he experienced last night troubled even he;

_At first it was all dark and silence, there was nothing - save only the sound of his ticker, a vital mechanism in the chest that supplies the body with energy, letting us know its functioning properly with it's rhythmic "tic-tick, tic-tick, tic-tick". He felt something clutch him around the waist. Something warm pushed his face, fallowed by a;_

_"Go on then, wake up." The voice was startlingly loud compared to the quiet of his ticker_

_ He forced his eyes to open for the first time and jerked himself out of grogginess. At first all he saw through his narrow eyes was an orange-yellow blur blocked out by a dark figure. When his optics finally focused he found himself in the grasp of a huge monster, staring at him inquisitively._

_"It worked, I can't believe it." Boomed the monster_

_ He shifted his body and found he could not escape the monster's hand. He began to panic. Putting his hands on the monster's fingers, he tried to pull away but he would not budge._

_"Whoa, it's okay, calm down." Said the monster reaching for him_

_ He glanced at his own silver claws noticing they where sharp. The hand was about to close in on him, he desperately swiped at it with his claws. Bright red liquid oozed from the three cuts on the monsters hand. The monster shrieked and he was dropped to the ground._

_ Scrambling to his unsteady feet, he leapt onto one of the shelves above the table. He dove behind a book and out of sight._

_"Ow." He heard the monster whimper, "Where'd he go off too? Come on out, I won't hurt you." The monster called_

_ There was some red liquid on his hands, he curtly shook it off and backed away further into the shelf. His back brushed on something and he swung around, behind him was yet another monster! It was pale and thin, the monster gasped and backed up just as he did. Soon he realized it was no monster, just his reflection in a mirror. While he stood admiring himself when tapping sounded from the far end of the shelf._

_"Hello?" He called out_

_ He was not answered. He put it off and continued to stare into the mirror. More shuffling, followed by a soft voice. He turned again._

_"Who's there?"_

_ But the noise had gone again. His eyes darted and he reluctantly looked back into the glass. Movement again, and it was closer now, it was accompanied by short giggling._

_"Keep away, I'm warning you!" His voice trembled_

_ But the noise did not cease. He took a few steps back. He was surrounded by monsters! The giggling was coming from above a book. He quietly walked toward it. The laugher was right above him. It suddenly stopped then the book began to lean forward. He jumped back when a white monster tumbled from its spot on top of the book._

_ The pale monster stood up, he found it strange it looked much like him. She was close to white in color, made of thin silk. Her hands were quickly put together, small and frail. She had large white eyes and a round face. She was crudely made, some pale scraps hung loose on her small body. She was unsteady on her feet when she stood up. She reached her fragile hands out and grazed his chest. She spoke up in an airy, childish voice;_

_"It's you; I've been waiting for you!" She fell over foreword but clutched him around the waist to keep herself up_

_"Pardon my asking" He started, feeling slightly awkward that she was holding him, "But who am I exactly?"_

_"Oh, you mean you don't know? It should be on your back." She said letting him go and leaning on the book_

_ He craned his neck and forced himself to get good look behind him. He then turned back to the small rag doll._

_"It's 1? Is that it?" He asked_

_"I guess." She suddenly gasped, "Why are you up here anyway? I think the Toymaker's looking for you."_

_"You don't mean - the monster?" 1 asked_

_"He's not a monster! He made you- and me."_

_"This brings me to another question, who are you, why should I trust you?" _

_"Um, I don't really have a name, but I'll go see if he can give me one!" She piped up and reached for 1's claw, missing many times before he took her hand instead_

_ The child started to walk further back into the shelf._

_"I do believe he's this way" 1 said nudging her the other way_

_"He is? Oops, sorry."_

_ They walked out from behind the pile of books and quickly the Toy Maker spotted them._

_"Oh there you are, 1. I see you've made a friend." The huge creature came toward them, "You better not have hurt her, she's very fragile you know." The Toy Maker added rubbing the scratch on his hand, "Good thing she's talked some sense into you."_

_ 1 scoffed. They were lowered to the large flat area of the table. The child stumbled out of the Toy Maker's hand and plopped to the ground, 1 rolled his eyes and stepped down._

_"Mister Toy Maker, can I ask you something?" She asked facing the wrong direction, 1 curtly guided her head toward the human_

_"Yes, what is it?"_

_"Can I have a name too, please?" She asked still a little off direction_

_"Hm. I suppose it is only proper for you to have a name now. But what shall I call you?" The Toy Maker paused in thought, "Well, since you where created before 1, it's only logical you should be named 'Zero'. What do you think, 1?"_

_"I don't care." 1 mumbled_

_"I think it's pretty!" Exclaimed the enthralled child _

_"Zero it is then!" The Toy Maker responded_

_ 1 watched as he nudged her to turn around. With ink he scribed an ink "0" on her back, she squirmed._

_"That tickles!" Zero said_

_ 1 stared into the young girl's new name, the black number over the white silk. Everything began to blur and distort._

_"1, please stay with me. Don't go." Zero's voice echoed, "I wanna play."_

"10, get up! 10, it's morning!"

And there was 8, hovering overhead with his two arms thrashing him awake. 10 leaned up and pushed the huge Stitchpunk's hands away.

"Yes, yes, I'm awake! Don't touch me" 10 grumbled getting off the bed

"Sorry, 1- Um, 10." 8 whimpered

"I'm sure you are" 10 placed his hat in its spot and shooed the guard away, "Go down, I'll be right there"

8 thundered down the recently constructed stairs leading down from 10's perch. 10 checked that his new outfit was on right in the glass shard by his bed. As he went over the morning's announcements in his head he looked at the own zero on his back.

He thought, _Strange, that dream seemed familiar - like I've seen it before_

The leader shook off his suspicions and put his white cloak on before heading down. At the ground level the group of four were starting to emerge from their sleeping dens as well. 2 and 5 were having a pleasant chat when they noticed 6 drag himself in from outside the Sanctuary's entrance, he had an inky claw on his back and his head drooped to his chest.

"Good morning 6." 5 greeted the striped doll

But he was not answered by the chipper response he'd grown so use to years before. He was answered by a moan as 6 came over to them.

"Is something the matter, you look sick" 2 asked approaching him

"Under stars, didn't have good sleep" Slurred the unhappy artist, "No dreams."

"I didn't sleep too good last night either, we all have those nights" 5 tried to perk him up when he was interrupted when 10 broke in;

"I third that!" He strutted down the stairs in his full monarchial attire, "Rarely can the three of us have empathy with one another, correct 5?"

5 didn't like his tone; something still bothered him about the elder. 5 didn't answer but tried his best to not appear aggressive. 10 paused for an answer.

"Indeed" He growled when he received none, he continued, "Today we have work to be done. Yesterday's progress was slightly less than I expected . . ."

_ Because _you_ just sat around the whole time,_ 5 privately commented

" . . . Today I believe we can finish the new elevator, provided 8 brought a new bucket. When all's done we can assess the damage done up there, with any luck the fire left it intact and we may return to our original rooms. Everyone's tasks are as fallows . . ."

_ Oh yeah, I'm sure you'd like your throne room back so you can sit around some more,_ 5 thought

The elderly leader had finished his speech and everyone began to go about their assigned tasks. All but 5 who, if he were even paying attention to know what he was supposed to do, did not want to stay in the Sanctuary. 5 needed to find 9 before 10's power got out of hand again. He knew he didn't have the courage to stop 10 himself. Despite his grudge, 5's over-friendly personality prevented him from hating 10 completely, after all, 5 knew he tried his best. 5 approached the white-clad rag doll.

"10, can I ask you something?" He asked

"5, it's you." 10 said in a bittersweet tone, "What is it?"

"I was wondering if, instead of working on the elevator, if I could go out into the Emptiness and try to find 9"

10's expression was unreadable, 5 would have had to guess it was a combination of aggressiveness and sorrow. 10 was quiet for a while, his eyes shifted in thought, then he answered;

"Yes, you may come and go as you please" 5 sensed his words where forced, "_1 _wouldn't let you into the Emptiness."

10 turned away from him and left to supervise to others. 5 was relived to find that he was given permission - but even if 10 said "no" 5 would have still gone. The one-eyed doll was slightly troubled by 10's difficulty with answering the question, maybe he still wanted to hold onto his protective ways. 5 put the thought aside and headed out into the ruins of the Human-City, surely his best friend, 9, would know what to do!

It was around the same time on that morning, outside the Factory, -2, named Cicatrix, and -5, named Sparks, where studying a crop of grass struggling to grow in the acrid place. The golden sunrise was in its full color as it had not yet risen high enough to be blocked out by the black smog produced by the Factory. The pair of negative-numbered rag dolls where rarely let outside, that being mostly because Negative disliked their fascination with nature - it's a waste of time, he would put it.

Sparks was slightly smaller than average size, thin and covered in many stitches and patches of different color – his original body color was light gray, most of his patches roughly matched it. He had thin, weak claws made of black steel. His tail was a white electric plug, he often fiddled with it when he was nervous. He had chisel-like teeth special to cut through rope or threads, aiding in his job as a healer. Out of his head was a blown open patch of wires on one side, his wound was never fixed because it was a terrible agony just for the wires to be touched and Sparks simply would not cooperate.

Cicatrix was made of dirty burlap and was the smallest of all the dolls. Despite his small, plump body he was actually extremely strong because of his four heavy iron arms. Although he was hardly a threat, his body was abused, rusty and old, and he is a strict pacifist – only using his power of he's pushed. In addition to his heavy limbs he was adorned with two welding tools coming out of his shoulder. He was designed to build machines. Cicatrix had taken in Sparks as son as no one else seemed to accept his "condition".

"This is a nice patch" Sparks said crouching to look at the yellow grass growing beside the Factory's dark iron walls

"Good find, Sparks" Cicatrix congratulated the gray, patched doll with a gentle touch to his back

"C-C-Cic" Started the gray doll as a few white flashes came from his head wound

"Hm?" Answered Cicatrix

"I like the plants and the insects" Spark's head suddenly snapped to the side, "_CUPCAKES_!", He blurted as his wires shorted out, "Oww . . . " He whimpered

"Are you okay?" Asked the four-armed doll

"Yes, it was just a little glitch" Sparks said, he turned his head back to the small doll, "I want to make something" He suggested

"All right then, let's see what he have here" Cicatrix answered after a warm chuckle

Sparks quickly scampered around the area grabbing a few shards of scrap aluminum and wiring lying in the dust. He brought them to the elderly doll and Cicatrix went to work. Cicatrix took and bent the metal with ease as his friend handed each part to him, he welded it with two appendages sticking from either side of his shoulders. It was with such speed and skill he could easily be compared to his creator, the Fabrication machine - however, rather than creating killing machines, the old burlap doll created a small, thin creature.

"All right, your turn Sparks" Said Cicatrix handing the tiny machine to the gray doll

Sparks took the four-legged aluminum creature in one claw and took his electric plug tail in the other. He put one black claw to the prongs and yellow electricity created a path into his hand. He dropped his tail to fall limp to the ground and put his claw into the little creature's chest. The yellow energy went into their creation.

"Oh!" Sparks yipped when the creation came to life and jumped out of his hands

Their baby landed on the ground on her four thin legs. She joyfully jumped around, squeaking and bobbing her thin head. Her eyes where large and glowed yellow. She wagged her wire tail and jumped toward her creators.

"I see she gets her energy from you Sparks" Cicatrix said, he groaned then lowered himself to the ground

"Are you okay?" Sparks asked sitting by the old doll

"Just a little fatigued." Cicatrix answered dropping himself to the ground, his heavy body landed with a thud

"It's okay - - _QUIZNOS! MM - MM - MM - MM - MM! TOASY!_ - - I still have a little energy left in my hand" Sparks meekly offered, he put his black claw to the four-armed doll's chest, "Better?"

"Yes. Of course, it doesn't reverse time. I might not be with you for very long" Cicatrix suddenly became very serious, "I'm getting old Sparks"

"Well, s-so is Negative! - - _BLUE!_ - - But this isn't happening to him!" Sparks retorted, "It's that bully Slasher who keeps beating on you, it's his fault! Look at all your stitches, who caused them?" Sparks voice became choked with emotion and his wires started to short out

They where interrupted by a thundering roar. The burlap doll and the gray doll turned their heads toward the source of the roar. It was the red negative, Slasher, announcing his presence as he usually does. He returned from the night before and was bringing -6, Dapple, back home. Slasher walked into the mineshaft leading inside with Dapple tugging herself behind. The black-and-blue rag doll lifted her head and glanced at her friends. Cicatrix and Sparks also adopted her into their friendship, she also was not accepted by the others because of her two different eyes.

"Hello." She solemnly greeted the pair

"Shut up!" Snapped Slasher striking her behind the head with a gray claw, "Keep your mismatched eyes in front of you and march your way into Negative's room!"

Dapple disappeared into the dark hole. Cicatrix and Sparks watched contemptuously as the spiked, red doll approached them.

"Good morning scrap bags!" Slasher greeted them, "How are my favorite moth-eaten cripples today?"

"Graced to be in the presence of Negative's narcissic, officious peace-keeper" Cicatrix sarcastically responded

"Yes, thank you" Slasher answered unknowing he thanked an insult, "The mismatching eyed female is gonna get in so much trouble with Negative - I can smell it! He's so great when he's angry at you weaklings! Just so long as two certain underlings don't talk back to him again"

Slasher turned around and slammed a hoof into Cicatrix's gut. The red doll scraped dirt upon the pair and happily trotted into the Factory.

"That tyrant" Sparks whispered

Their creation jumped into Cicatrix's four arms. The pair was quickly cheered up by their dog-like machine.

"What should we name her?" Asked the four-armed doll

Sparks' mind was still on their mistreatment by their leader and his deputy. The gray doll rose his head and answered;

"Hope."

Cicatrix looked into his friend's eyes, seeming to understand.

"Do you think there's more types of life we haven't found yet?" Asked Sparks

"Of course there are!" Cicatrix answered jubilantly, he pointed his two left arms into the healing woodland ahead of the Factory, "You see out there, far beyond Human-City, far beyond the forest, beyond those hills, is a vast world full of discoveries. Someday Sparks, we'll be out there."

"Such pointless dreams" Snarled an unpleasant female voice

It was the lastborn, Tzarina. She leapt down from atop the mineshaft entrance.

"Tzarina, what are you doing out here?" Cicatrix asked, "I know you're new so you probably don't know, you need permission from Negative to leave the Factory"

"Sew it shut, old timer" Tzarina rudely answered rolling her eyes, "I wasn't born yesterday! Negative game me full roaming privileges, now I'll be on my way."

Sparks entered shyly, "Wait, - - _COOKIE!_ - - do you want a little energy, you never know-"

"Hush!" She croaked, "I don't need any recharging, I'm -9!"

"Well before you go - have you seen the twins any where? I haven't seen them since the ceremony" Sparks asked

"They're probably out, Negative gave them roaming privileges too. Now leave me be!"

And Tzarina tore away, beating the ground with all four of her heavy claws.

"So he gives that windbag and the pair of morons roaming privileges and not us? Why of all the stupid old beasts . . ." Sparks commented after she was out of sight

"You've been around long enough, you know Negative's never fair" Cicatrix tried to force a positive tone

The old rag doll stood to his rust-stained hoofs fallowed by Sparks.

"We'd better go in and make sure Dapple isn't in too much trouble"

Dapple stood in the large room, once used to store Walkers aside from the Fabricator's chamber, that Negative claimed as his own. The room was littered with the remains of Walker machines, blown to peaces when the Factory was destroyed. Because the room had no windows, there was very little light other than the little rays of dusty orange struggling to get out of the small spaces in-between the rubble pile blocking the chamber's entrance. There were also the dull flickering light bulbs, most of which were shattered so that only the floating twisted filament could be seen, placed around Negative's throne being made of a stack of gas bombs. A few bombs had leaks so the dim lights where distorted in the twisting poison air.

Negative loomed above the sleek striped doll atop his preach of metal, Slasher took his spot on the lower seat beside him. Dapple stood in the large open space before her leader, looking up at him - his red slits glowing over his shadowed body. And behind him, illuminated by the orange beams from behind, was a shred of the fascist flag.

"What did you see?" Asked the firstborn leader

"New plants, unusual animals, human trinkets . . ." She answered

Up from the tunnel leading into Negative's room emerged Sparks and Cicatrix.

Dapple finished, ". . . And another creature like us."

From the other end of the room Sparks gasped involuntarily. He and Cicatrix quickly drew in closer.

"Where? What was it doing?" Cicatrix asked

"You saw WHAT?" Snapped Slasher stomping to full height

"I found another rag doll, he was one of the originals. He looked very friendly, perhaps we could-"

"Enough!" Negative commanded slamming his snake staff to the ground

The eyes of his staff opened revealing a bright white glow, so inviting that everyone below stared into it and their minds where blank. No one moved, no one thought - except for Dapple, who's mismatching eyes where immune to Negative's hypnosis. Negative already knew he could not force his will upon her with his staff. The leader stepped down from his perch and stopped only two paces away from Dapple.

"You see too much" Negative hissed, "You must learn to control your thoughts!"

"I want to become family with the Stitchpunk" Dapple replied

"No! I forbid it!" Negative realized his hypnotizing hold on the others, "And that's the end of it!" He turned and started to walk back to his throne

Dapple took a step toward the old snake.

"I see too much - you see _nothing_" She stated

Negative quickly snapped his head around toward her, his body fallowed.

Negative lifted a finger toward her, "Slasher, remove her eyes!", He clicked his claws and Slasher tore down from the pile of steel

Cicatrix cried out and ran to defend her but he was far too slow. Slasher stopped in front of the frightened striped doll, his needle spines rose up from his body. The red doll rose a claw, snarling, and slammed it into her face. Dapple dropped to the ground, lifting her head, her eyes were knocked out. She blindly scrabbled on the ground and Slasher came closer to drive the punishment home.

Cicatrix's claw locked onto Slasher's wrist and bent it out a place. Slasher wailed and turned his head toward the elderly doll and sank his huge fangs into Cicatrix's back. Slasher tore the old doll away and threw him into the ground. Cicatrix turned himself over to protect his now exposed iron spine and ribs. Slasher lifted his powerful tail and brought it down into Cicatrix's belly, impaling him all the way through. The spiked red doll picked him up and smashed him into the ground again, bending one of his legs.

"That will do Slasher" Negative spoke up clicking his claws

Slasher immediately took his place back by Negative's side. Dapple was cowering at the sounds of her friend in agony and Slasher's misguided fury. Her leader watched her pathetically try to find her footing.

"Now you see nothing" Negative said

Dapple lifted her head up toward him and looked visionlessly to the leader.

"You are the one who is blind" She whispered

Negative suddenly realized Sparks was there, frozen in terror. He walked to Sparks and held his snake staff, eyes aglow, out to the disturbed creature.

"You witnessed none of this."

The sun was now high enough to be caught in the black smog clouds produced by the Factory. Not very far from the Museum 3 and 4 where chasing small insects around. They were told to stay in sight but wondered past a few tall buildings on their quest to catch the hopping-flying bugs. Unknown to them they were being watched by twin pairs of red orbs.

3 had cornered one of the bugs and crept up slowly on it. The hopper perched itself on a cement brick. Its wings twitched and it cleaned it's antenna, blissfully unaware of the blue hooded doll that eagerly crept up on it. 3 was about to catch it and catalog it when it suddenly stood at alert. The bug jumped away. 3's head came up from the grass he crouched in. He didn't make a sound, what scared it away?

He stared into the grass behind the block, the tall green plants briefly rustled. 3 flashed a questioning greeting but was met by no answer. He walked closer to the tall grass.

The grass burst open and 3 was tackled by two dark figures with glowing red eyes. He and the dark dolls crashed down the rubble pile, 4 was alerted and released her bug to check on her brother. She soon found 3 on the ground and two shadowy hooded figures loomed over him, cackling like hyenas. The other twins where marked with a red "3" and "4", both with slashes through the number. They had gray bodies and heads, black arms and legs, a pocket sewn on to their bellies and red eyes. Both had camo-pattern hoods and capes, -3 had green camo and -4 had turquoise. -3 was slightly taller with a broader face, -4 was was thinner with both eyes seeming to focus in different directions. The dark pair crowed loud and unpleasant laugher. 4 did not enjoy having her brother laughed at, she flashed;

"What's so funny?"

Of coarse 4 wasn't expecting an answer but the other twins appeared to understand her clicks completely. She was answered by cackling but she also understood what their words would have been;

"Oooh, looka wha we have heea" -4 answered in an airy voice, all words seemed to blend together

"Pfft, I beet up hoppa-jumpa more treatenin' den dis" -3 had a lower, over-articulate voice

At first, 3 and 4 had a hard time understanding the pair because of their speech style. 4 helped her brother up.

"Just who do you think you are?" 3 bravely clicked

"Nip" -3 snickered

"Tuk" -4 laughed

"Why did you tackle me, Nip and Tuk?" 3 clicked

"Why?" Nip barked

"Yeah - why?" Tuk repeated

"Shuddap!" Nip snarled to her sister

The little structures holding Tuk's hood in shape pulled her hood over her face, she shyly hid in her hood.

"Cause we biggur! We strongur, toughur an' smartur!" Nip barked standing over 3 and 4

"You're only a centimeter taller than us!" 4 blinked in defense

"You stupid, dirty, stinking, drooling hyenas most certainly aren't smarter than us!" 3 flashed stepping up to the bullies

"You'ra stoopid!" Tuk growled

"You're just bullies!" 3 blinked

"I bet you can't even read!" 4 clicked

"We can reed!" Nip grumbled

"Prove it" 3 said, "Read our names"

"Uh"

Nip and Tuk stared into the single ink symbols on the twins chest's. The numbers meant nothing to them. They were never thought to read and had a little interest in learning. Nip and Tuk's red orbs stared for a long time. If they had saliva, it could be assumed the dull-witted sisters would be drooling.

"Well?" 3 clicked, trying to sound friendly

"Ia - Ia - I dun reed gud" Tuk whimpered

"Want us to teach you?" 4 blinked

Tuk nodded her head vigorously. Nip growled and bonked her on the head with her black-and-silver fist, now it was apparent why Tuk's eyes were always out of focus.

"I know wha it say!" Nip snarled, "It say 'two pipsqueaks dat gonna get it good'!"

Nip leapt foreword and the rods holding her hood in place opened revealing bright orange inside. Suddenly sharp long fangs appeared fallowed by a startling screech. Tuk soon did the same. 3 and 4 where so startled by this they jumped back and tumbled down the hill of rubble.

"Haha! Scarin' dose lit'l shrimp is betta dan readin' anyday, huh?" Nip cackled

"Yeah!" Tuk giggled

3 and 4 fell down the ruins and landed on the ground, right on top of 7 who had been screeching for them. 7 swiftly got to her feet and pulled a sharp spear from a holder tied around her waist. When she realized it was the twins she put it back.

"3, 4, what do you think you're doing?" She asked harshly

She was answered by a strobe light of flashes and clicks while the twins desperately pointed to the top of the hill. 7 turned her head to look but Nip and Tuk where long gone. She looked back at the twins accusingly, the twins desperately pleaded that they weren't doing anything wrong.

"Stop it" She ordered and the their eyes became dark, "You had me and 9 worried, what if a machine got you? I told you to stay in sight!"

The twins started to click again, desperate to explain but they were cut off.

"You deliberately disobeyed me! And now of all times, you could have been killed!" 7 scolded

The twins fell silent and started to walk back toward the Museum. Of course, for the kids at least, 7's rage couldn't last long. She fallowed them.

"You can stay outside" She said calmly, "Just keep where I can see you."

It was getting close to midday by the time Tzarina had reached her destination. She jumped and stalked up the outcrop of twisted iron, formerly a tank. Her strong, yet slightly undersized, shadowy figure climbed up her mountain with the dim gray clouds behind. Because it was blustery, occasionally the sun came through in yellow pools. She jumped up onto a surface close to the top, her red orbs shifted hastily. No one was around so she pushed opened the tattered, old journal she'd found in the Fabricator's room and had taken it upon herself to study it personally. While one might assume she'd be gawking over the images depicting creatures like herself, Tzarina was actually more interested in the passages written about the humans - She was intrigued with the cause of their fate. After extensive study, she would allow herself to create her own opinions on the former rulers of the planet.

At the base of Tzarina's mountain wondered her positive-numbered counterpart (whom she'd already contemplated the existence of) searching for answers, ironically, not unlike her. 9, holding his lighted staff, strode on a thin ledge, that had little more than enough room for himself, between the demolished tank and a deep drop off leading into a muddy sink hole. The youngest Stitchpunk had been wondering aimlessly for the whole morning, his feet restless and his head full of pounding questions: Why couldn't he contact his dead friends? Had they abandoned him? Had he ever contacted them, or was it an illusion his mind had created to keep him sane? Was he sane or was he going mad? And what about those machines? Were they illusions too? What was happening to the world he thought he knew?

His black shadow, Tzarina, had finished reading and was resting on a beam of steel sticking from her mountain. She had questions of her own: Who was the owner of that mysterious journal? Why had the humans had been so foolish? What if they were still around? And the Fabricator - why was he there? And her - the others - why had he created them?

Both young rag dolls where too deep in their own thoughts to have noticed each other. Fate brought the savor and the shadow together; the beam Tzarina preached herself on broke free from the twisted metal and she fell down the mountain.

9 hopped back at the sudden sound, the beam crashed down first, then a shadowy figure dropped in front of him. Lifting its maned head he saw red beast eyes. 9 instinctively took his staff in both hands, knowing machines didn't like light, to keep it at bay while he thought of a way to outsmart it. Tzarina raised her head and saw a tall figure looming over her waving a ball of flame at her. She hopped up onto all fours, unsheathing her razor claws and baring her silver fangs. The pair circled each other. Both were aware they were not faced with a monster but another rag doll, nonetheless they had a instinctual distrust of the other. One stalked on four claws and the other waved a bright orb; a strange fighting style for either to behold. They were so perplexed about the others actions they no longer where about to strike for battle, instead they stood confused. At the same time they spoke;

"What are you doing?" The savor and the shadow asked

Tzarina scoffed and jeered; "You fight like a human, hiding behind your weapons, knowing without them you'd have your throat torn out" She rose to two legs, "Predictable"

"Where did you come from?" 9 asked now more interested in how this black creature came to be than fighting her

"9!" Echoed 7's voice in the near distance

Tzarina started to back up toward the ledge of mud, her orbs wide and alert.

"9! Where are you! 9!" The white rag dolls voice drew closer and Tzarina backed to the cliff

"Wait!" 9 called but it was too late, the dark doll jumped

He rushed after to grab her but was surprised when she was blown up by the breeze, the wind catching in the wings of fabric connecting her wrists her to knees. But her gliding ability was soon no longer the mystery because printed on her chest was 9's own number, in red, slashed out. 9 was unable to find words and before he could even call after her she had glided down into the dark hole. Of course 9 wasn't allowed to stand and be confused for too long before 7 arrived.

"There you are!" She said turning him around by the shoulder, "I turn my back for five seconds and everyone in the Museum is gone - if you want to take a walk you tell me first! You don't have anything to protect yourself with - am I the only one who's got any common sense around here!"

"Huh? Um, sorry 7, it's just been - eventful the past few days" 9 responded

"You really shouldn't think of things that much, you'll hurt yourself" She spoke more softly

"I know you didn't come here just for me. Is something wrong?" 9 asked

"Of course, the twins snuck off again" She breathed, "Have you seen them?"

"No, not today"

The twins weren't too far away from their surrogate parents. They had found a new book lying around in the rubbish and had just managed to stand it upright. 3 and 4 stared into the wall of text, frequently turning the page after they'd finished memorizing the one they were on. They couldn't have been more content.

But this didn't last, who should come along but the two dull bullies, Nip and Tuk. The twins couldn't have made it more convenient for them; standing in the two walls of the book. The pair of dark trouble makers climbed silently top the book and gazed upon the little pipsqueaks below, amused. Nip and Tuk balanced themselves on either side of the open book holding each others claws, with one claw holding on to their side. They quickly brought themselves together and brought the book with it, it slammed shut on the twins with a_ snap!_

Nip and Tuk weren't done yet. They hopped down quickly and shoved the book, with 3 and 4 trapped inside, down into the massive sink hole. The book slid down and splashed into the mud below, opening and releasing the disoriented twins. Nip and Tuk cackled from their spot at the flat ground above the sink hole at the (now very wet) twins.

3 and 4, who were otherwise pacifists, weren't going to take that kind of treatment to their book. 4 noticed a nearby rubber band and two twigs sticking out of the mud. She rapidly clicked her plan to her brother and he ran off to collect the pebbles laying the muck. 4 put the one end of the rubber band onto one stick and stretched the opposite end to the other stick. 3 ran back with a handful of tiny rocks. Nip and Tuk were too busy with laughing to notice the hooded Stitchpucks made their makeshift slingshot before it was too late; Nip was slammed in the head with a rock and plopped to the ground.

Tuk ran to help her sister up but was pushed away and Nip barked to charge. The sisters thundered toward 3 and 4 but didn't get very far before they were stopped by the onslaught of pebbles pounding their bodies. Tuk was stuck in the leg by a flying rock and pulled it up to grab it in pain but she fell over and tripped Nip. Both dark twins plopped into the mud much to the amusement to 3 and 4.

"Ya moron! Ya trip'd me!" Nip snapped

"Nuh-uh, you tard! You trip me!" Tuk barked in protest

"I ain't no tard, you are!"

"You!"

The sisters began to scrap, biting, slapping and snarling as they tumbled down the hill. Before 3 and 4 knew it they had been hit by the conflicting sisters. Nip stopped attacking her sister and instead went for 4. 3 tried to save his sister but Tuk prevented him from getting close. It wasn't long before they were all a jumble of fighting dolls, clicking, barking, flashing and yelping, becoming filthy in the mud. 7 and 9, who were walking on the other side of the sinkhole, heard the commotion and started running.

"3! 4! What are you doing?" 9 called

Nip and Tuk heard the cries from behind a stack of rubble, soon the other Stitchpunk would be there and they would be in big trouble! But Nip and Tuk where far from busted, they had a secret trick. They slammed their adversaries, still struggling, to the ground. Staring up, 3 and 4 watched helplessly as the bullies' eyes started to flash in a hypnotizing strobe light; a corruption of the original twin's flashing eyes. As soon as 3 and 4 were sedated Tuk started to run.

"Wait!" Nip barked, her sister halted, "Before we go . . ."

The ruffians pushed the twins together, putting them into fighting poses with each other. Nip and Tuk bonded away cackling. When 3 and 4 woke up they started to attack the other, flickering furiously;

"Tell me go, big dumb bully!" 4 struck 3 oblivious of who she'd just hit

"You can't just pick on us like that!" 3 hit his sister not realizing it was her

"Twins!" Came 7's shocked voice from the top of the sinkhole

3 and 4 turned their heads toward her voice to see her and 9 rushing down to them. They looked back and suddenly pushed away from each other.

"I'm not one of them! What are you doing?" 3 flashed bewilderedly

"What are _you_ doing?" 4 clicked

The siblings where yanked away from each other. 9 clutched 3 by the shoulder.

"What did you think you were doing?" 9 asked

"Don't you dare hit your brother!" 7 scolded jerking 4 a little

"What happened?" 9 asked a little more calmly noticing 3 was starting to tear up

The twins pointed up to the ledge of the hole but Nip and Tuk where gone again! They tried desperately to get them to believe them. While 9 watched curiously, 7 wasn't amused by hearing the same story again.

"Not this again" 7 growled

"There's nothing up there" 9 added a little more gently

"We _saw_ them! They ran away!" 3 flickered but his words where not understood

"I don't want to hear it!" 7 snapped

"7, calm down" 9 insisted in vain

"They did the same thing last time they snuck off. Now I come and see them fighting" She hissed to him

"You've never fought before" 9 said looking at the twins, "I've very disappointed in you, I don't want to see it again"

3, distraught that he was ignored, hid his face in 4's shoulder and started to weep. 4 put a hand on her brother and glared up and the pair of Stitchpunks defiantly.

"I'm not going to be disobeyed!" 7 snapped, "Both of you are going to stay in the Museum with us for the rest of the day, and that's the end of it"

She herded the twins ahead of her. Her and 9 started to walk to short distance back home. 3 refused to looked at the white doll but 4 glared at her the whole way, 9 noticed this and understood what 4 was thinking but was unable to say, so he spoke up;

"You sounded just like 1"

7 halted and stood, an aura of anger surrounded her.

"What did you just say?" She rasped

"I said, you where acting exactly like 1" 9 pressed

"Don't you ever compare me to that murdering, selfish, lying coward!" 7 roared

"7-"

"I am _nothing_ like him!" 7 turned and started to dash away

"Wait!"

But 9 knew it was fruitless to pursue her, she would have to calm down on her own. He glanced back to the twins who shared a look of uncertainty.

"She'll come back, she always does" He said, "Let's go home and get you cleaned up"

Sunset was nearly finished that day, the bleak sun was starting to turn red as it disappeared under the hills in the distance. Sparks played with their new creation, Hope, while Cicatrix sat close by and watched quietly. Slasher stepped out from the mineshaft leading to Negative's chamber. He put his hoof on the marble Sparks and his pet where playing with.

"Negative wants to speak with you two" Slasher rumbled

Sparks and his friend shared a wary glance. Sparks picked up Hope and they descended into the Factory with Slasher occasionally nudging the sluggish Cicatrix to get him to keep up the pace. They entered the massive hall and saw Negative seated upon his perch, his profile blackened by the red sunset filtering through the flag behind him, his snake eyes watching unblinkingly.

"You wanted to see us, Negative?" Cicatrix asked formally, meanwhile Sparks pet Hope trying to get her calm down

"Plainly - If I hadn't I would not have called for you, you stupid scrap" Negative hissed rising and making his way down his throne

"What do you want?" Spark's voice croaked with fear

"The Great Machine, ruler and creator of us all, has sent me to inform you that your purpose is to put into use posthaste" Negative had obviously rehearsed his statement, "Your talents of building are not meaningless, it's the will of the Fabricator you aid to create machines"

"I understand" Cicatrix said was some of his old brightness returning to his eyes, "I wouldn't have it any other way"

"W-What about me?" Sparks squeaked

"You also, it's the Fabricator's will you accompany Cicatrix in machine-making by bringing them to life, what with your abilities" Negative stated

"Really? I mean, there's nothing else I'd rather do" Sparks grinned, the first time his leader had given him any news he liked

"Negative, I'm touched, really I am" Cicatrix his putting a claw on the shoulder of the leather doll

"Charmed" Negative replied after a half-hearted chuckle

"I never would have imagined that you'd assign me to create life forms, while normally you scold us for it"

"I do suppose your happiness would quicken the speed at which you create the Fabricator's war machines"

Abruptly the mood in the room reversed and became dark with the beginning of night. Cicatrix took a step away from his leader.

"What?" Rasped the four-armed rag doll

"You where fated to create war machines, the Fabricator's killing soldiers. They will finish off what wretched life was allowed to take roots again on the wasteland that should rightfully belong to the machines!" Negative spoke the words repeated to him over and over again by his creator

"This isn't what I thought you meant Negative, I can't kill anything!" Cicatrix choked his tears away

"You won't, your machines shall" Negative turned away and started to walked back up to his throne

"No! I will never allow any creation of mine to become a mindless, murdering beast!" Cicatrix shouted, taking a step toward the pale elder, he allowed everything he thought of Negative pour out for the first time, "You slimy, scheming snake! Blindly fallowing your creator! Using your words to swindle the innocent! If I had a heart as black as yours I'd - I'd kill you myself! You see nothing but what the Machine tells you!"

Negative swung around back toward him, his needle fangs bared in a scowl.

"Your words are empty. All your time spent trying to rebel against me - it's all an imposable dream! Ha! And without_ your _voice those under me shall stay where they belong, loyal to the Machine!" Negative spat in the smaller doll's face, he clicked his claws, "And now you speak no more! Slasher! Silence him - forever!"

Slasher tore toward the elderly doll. Hope leapt from Sparks' hands and ran to try and save him. Slasher felt the tiny machine gnawing on his leg, he kicked her away and slammed his hoof down upon her. Hope was killed.

"No!" Sparks called out and started to run toward his friends but was stopped when he witnessed the terror of what happened to Cicatrix

Cicatrix hardly had time to lift an arm in defense before Slasher racked his needles across the old dolls chest. Cicatrix dropped to the ground and Slasher lunged his head into his exposed ribs. Cicatrix let out a caterwaul of pain before his voice suddenly silenced. Slasher reared his head up, the old doll's voice box in his jaws. Cicatrix was swatted aside and Slasher crushed the voice box in his jaws. The four armed doll lay on the ground, silently wailing in pain. Sparks couldn't do anything, he stood in his spot frozen and sick with fright only to become more terrified when he saw Negative's red slits where fixed on him.

"I cannot allow your ideas to impede the will of the Fabricator any further" Negative hissed clicking his claws, "Slasher, chase him out of our territory. If you catch him, kill him."

Sparks' red orbs shrank, he felt as if he were going to faint or vomit when suddenly he noticed a red mass of spines and teeth speeding toward him. The gray patched doll scrambled back realizing the mortal danger he was in. Sparks, powered by the will to survive, sprinted up the tunnel leading to the outside - the only place he could be safe. He glanced behind him and saw a silver blur and felt Slasher's teeth snap onto his throat. Poor Sparks was shaken helplessly in the brute's fangs, his shrieks where silenced when a wire in his neck was broken. But he was not dead, he realized, he had his vocal cords cut. Sparks fought back and scraped his back feet across Slasher's belly and he was released.

Sparks was outside the mine shaft within seconds, he looked back and saw he was still being chased. Before he could run away Slasher grabbed his hand in his jaws, flinging the gray doll away from the Factory. Sparks landed in an old trench, agony surged through his arm. His hand was ripped clean off. The gray doll didn't want to take any more wounds and continued to flee. Running on all fours like a terrified deer he was pursued. Not far behind him, Slasher tore the ground up like a hungry bear. Sparks turned a corner and slammed into a black figure.

It was Tzarina, Sparks thought he'd never be happy to see that crabby windbag! He tried to speak but his voice was gone. Tzarina stared at him puzzled. She looked past the tank she was behind and saw Slasher running in her direction. She didn't need to know the details but could tell the gray doll must have been sentenced to death. A voice inside her told her not to allow Sparks to die. She snatched him by the back of his neck with her claws, Sparks yelped soundlessly. Tzarina threw him down a hill of rubbish and out of sight. Sparks tumbled to the ground and quickly hid and watched Slasher approach Tzarina.

"Tzarina, have you seen the patched pipsqueak? Did he run by here?" Slasher demanded, "Where did he go?"

"Sparks was heading toward the river" Tzarina said

Slasher thundered off.

Sparks looked up with wide red orbs. He had not noticed how beautiful the black rag doll looked before he saw her sleek figure in the white moon. Tzarina looked back at him, and fixed her ruffled mane. Sparks realized he might never see her again, he could never go back to the Factory in safty. Tzarina appeared to understand that also and dipped her head to say good bye. Sparks took one last glance back at the shadowy doll and slipped into the Human-City.

As Tzarina watched Sparks go she felt a new odd feeling about the nervous gray doll. No longer did she see the waste of fabric Negative told her he was, but a living thing fully deserving of a peaceful existence - perhaps worthy of a place in her heart. But not the place of a father and a mentor Negative had filled, something different that the loner could not put a name to.

Tzarina decided to confront Negative about Spark's exile. She let herself into his chamber and saw he lied tiredly on his throne, rubbing the lines of age and stress on his face. Normally she wouldn't bother him while he's feeling like this, but the thought of Sparks' suffering was more powerful than her respect of his depression issues.

"Negative" She said sitting in front of his perch

"Tzarina, my child, you've been out a long while" He answered

"You sent Slasher to kill Sparks" She stated frankly, "He's harmless"

"Yes Tzarina, he is harmless. However, his ideas where a threat to the will of the Fabricator" Negative spoke with no emotion, just repeating what he'd been told by the Machine so many times

"So was Dapple's?"

"Yes. And Cicatrix. For that they must be punished" Negative's face was in his claws, hiding the unreadable expression on his face, "The Fabricator's will is the only one that matters"

"What's your reasoning for this?" Tzarina asked

"Sometimes - Many of the flawed must be sacrificed for the good of one perfect"

The moon was half way to its highest point and there was little light in the Sanctuary. The main chamber was abandoned and dark, only two pairs of white eyes lit up the room. The dark pair scurried around with their eyes aflame. Soon Nip and Tuk came about the bottom of the bell tower, above them was a source of light, flickering orange, coming from a platform way up there. The sisters also noticed the string connected to a pulley at the top. The bucket elevator was at the top but Nip and Tuk were strong enough to climb up the string. They began their accent and as they went up they noticed voices from the clock room.

The large clock was blown out, leaving a large open circle with the night stars behind it. The floor of the room was still mostly there, save the crumbly black spots that fell in. The whole floor they covered in an old peace of chip board found outside, to make sure nobody fell into these holes. All other parts of the ex-throne room where charred into a white dust - save anything metal or stone. The white ash blanketed the room as a ghastly reminder of the life once lived there. Nip and Tuk found a comfortable seat atop the remains of a plank and watched the meeting of Stitchpunk in the dust-covered room.

10 stood atop a half-burnt book so that he could see over everyone. 2, 6 and 8 where gathered around him as he called off the work for the day. Everyone was coughing when the wind coming from the open hole where the clock used to be blew the ash around.

"_Acckkhem! _Today's tasks are finished, we've gotten farther than I've expected." Said 10, "Now that we're safe up here, we may sleep in peace - _I hope._" He added recalling last night's dream

"Now 1, we aren't really safe up here. That huge hole in the wall is begging for some evil beast to come barging through" 2 pointed out

"I - I was getting to that. We'll repair this room tomorrow, I think I found a tarp large enough to cover that." He glanced to the stars, remembering the terror that had broken the clock in the first place, he got himself frightened just thinking about it

"1, are you all right?" 2 asked noticing the leader was starting to tremble

"I'm fine" He croaked glancing nervously at the clock, "I mean - I'm 10. Don't call me that!" He turned his head suddenly to 2

2 backed away from 10's angry scowl. 2 could tell something was seriously wrong with him and didn't want to trouble him any further. He motioned for 6 to fallow him, the striped doll groggily took to his feet and fallowed 2 to the sleeping quarters.

"6, is something wrong?" 2 asked looking at him

"Can't dream, I don't see any use in sleeping. We shouldn't be here" Slurred 6 not even bothering to lift his head

"You must be sick" 2 said putting a claw on 6's forehead, "If it makes you feel better, I'll let you sleep in my room"

"What's the use for sleep, he won't talk to me any more - - Something's happened" 6 stared hollowly at the elderly Stitchpunk

"He? What do you mean?" 2 asked but 6 hard turned away and started to go into 2's room, "You don't mean - your premonitions?"

6 halted and looked back at him and answered dully;

"The Toy Maker. He's abandoned us, 2. No dreams"

"1 said something about having a weird dream earlier - perhaps something is disrupting them, but the only time that happened was the day before the Machi-" But 6 had disappeared into dark blue shadow of them room

2 glanced back toward the throne room, it was clear 6 must dream of his creator and predict the future by them. But what of 10's dream? He mentioned a "Zero" - this concerned 2. It was clear to him then that something serious was interrupting the balance of their world.

"8." 10 spoke abruptly as 8 was exiting them room

"What?" 8 answered and politely has he could

"Have you seen 5?"

"Um, no. Not since sunrise" 8 answered after pausing in thought

"He's up to something" 10 hissed to himself

"Do you want me to find him, 10?" 8 asked eagerly

"That's something 1 would do, isn't it?" 10 breathed

"Huh?" 8 grunted

"1 would do that - 10 wouldn't. 10 is perfection. I'm to be perfection" 10 mumbled to himself, he rose his head and addressed 8, "No. He'll come back, we must trust each other now. You may go"

8 blinked unsurely, it was clear to even he now that the old leader was slightly daft. The large Stitchpunk left for his own room. 10 dropped from his book and walked to the remains of his throne. Before the blaze he would sleep there, but now it seemed precariously unsafe. He looked up to the open circle in his room, expecting any number of monsters to come pouring through at any time. He swallowed hard and left the area, looking for another sleeping place.

Two dark figures scurried from the above wood framing after him, giggling like hyenas. 10 turned quickly and looked up to find the four red eyes glaring at him, moving swiftly and snickering.

"8- !" But no sooner had be begun to yell did Nip and Tuk jump him

He was slammed into the floor by the pair and gagged so he couldn't make a sound. Nip and Tuk pushed their faces toward him, sneering with steel fangs. 10 stared and the hideous monsters, frozen in terror that his fears had come true. Beasts! Beasts! They'd gotten in! And he was their first victim! He had failed his duty to protect the others and himself!

Soon his panic halted and he stared blankly at the sister's flashing white eyes. 10's struggle waned quickly and he lie still, optics opened completely. Nip and Tuk released his body, trying to keep their cackling quiet. Tuk whipped out a squeaker from her pouch and tested it briefly. Nip nodded approvingly and used a single claw to cut the thread stitches holding his chest shut.

2 could hear the twin sister's mocking laugher from the throne room. He made his way quietly toward the noise. Once he was close enough to see, he noticed Nip and Tuk hovering over the sedated leader. He at first mistook them for 3 and 4 but then noticed their gray and black bodies.

"Hey, what are you two doing?" He asked walked toward them

The sister's heads shot up and they stared at 2 with wide red orbs. At the sight of him Nip and Tuk dashed away. 2 dove out of their way and watched them jump onto the elevator strings and slide down. 2's gaze lagged at the elevator before turning back to 10 who was staring to wake up.

2 helped 10 up, both where startled by a squeak ringing out.

"What was that?" 10 snarled his narrow eyes darting about

"Hmm." 2 pushed a claw into 10's diaphragm, the high-pitched squeak sounded again

"Don't touch me!" 10 snarled pulling away

"It's you" 2 said

"What?" 10 growled, he put his golden claw into his body and again he squeaked, "What a completely degrading sound! Those two weren't beasts at all, they were foolish children. Well, their little joke is finished! I want it removed now!"

"All right, don't get so worked up, it's rather funny" 2 chuckled and pulled open the hole in 10's chest

10 let out a sharp, painful cry when 2's claw went in.

"Calm down, it mustn't hurt _that _much" 2 responded, he added after a pause, "It's in there pretty deep but if I could just dislodge it from your-"

"_Achkk! _Keep your claws out of me!" 10 cried after a sharp jolt of pain, 2 quickly brought his hands back out, "You imbecile! You have no idea what you're doing, do you!"

"If you didn't move it wouldn't hurt so much!" 2 suddenly snapped angrily

"Moron! You did that on purpose!" 10 snarled

"If you hold still I can get it out of you, but it'll hurt a little, deal with it" 2 sighed trying to calm himself down

"You call that a little? I don't need this- I'm leaving" 10 turned his back on 2 and started to walk away

"Your chest is still open" 2 added at 10's back

10 paused and looked back at 2.

"Um - certain things, I permit you to do" 10 grumbled, "Sew me up"

In 2's room, 6 sat up in the bed with eyes wide open. Still as stone, silent as the stars he stared at through the burnt out window, head pounding with frustration. What was the point in trying to sleep now if his creator no longer visits his dreams and guides him? It's no use. They were all abandoned - nothing mattered anymore.

6's feet tapped on the floor as he walked through the bell tower, everyone else was asleep as far as he knew, they wouldn't miss him. He blindly jumped down the stone steps of the Sanctuary's doors and into the nighttime-blue Emptiness.

Being out here seemed to calm him, his mind slowly reentered his body as he forgot his worries. Now he was just exploring. Soon 6 spotted a nice, white-dappled paint brush head, he could try using that to paint with. 6 trotted over and tugged it to find it was attached to blue yarn - and attached to the yarn sat another striped rag doll!

The very unhappy black-and-blue female marked with a red "-6" turned her head toward him. Instead of eyes, she had a white rag tried around her face.

"Hello." Greeted her soft voice

"Why are you unhappy?" 6 asked sympathetically

"I was unhappy but now I am not. Now I have company." Her head fallowed 6 as he sat down by her, "New family makes me very happy"

"Me too" 6 answered and repeated, "Family." 6 continued, "I'm 6"

"Brother 6" Said the eyeless doll with a soft smile

"Who are you?" 6 asked eagerly

"Dapple"

"Sister Dapple" 6 responded

"Brother. Sister." Dapple looked sightlessly to her new friend, "Might I see your family? I want to be family"

6 nodded and took her hooked claws and started to head off the direction of the Sanctuary. He was surprised when she pulled her hand away and backed away from him.

"No. My firstborn said I cannot go past this point" Dapple whimpered slowly nodding her head

"Oh. But then you can't see them" 6 answered distraughtly

"I can see, I can see feelings. I can see them through you" Dapple smiled and sat back down

6 sat with her. The odd pair sat underneath the stars that night and Dapple started what was to be many nights of secret visits; She said, "Let me see them with your words."

It was getting close to moon-high that same night and 5 finally found his way to the Memorial. He dove behind a steel scrap, his chest heaving. Behind the steel snuffled and snarled three possum-skulled beasts. They where horrendous! Stalking on six long legs, their elevated bodies covered and slices of spotted hyena skins, hooked tails lashing and large rubber ears rotated for any sound the one-eyed rag doll dared make. The cackling beasts have been tracking poor 5 all day and, although they where no more than twice his height, he was not about to meet them personally any time soon! But to his relief the matriarch of the Cackle Beast pack called off the hunt and the three padded silently away.

Once the poachers left 5 breathed a sigh of relief and to his luck he'd been chased right to the place he'd been meaning to go before he met those mangy beasts! 5's happiness was short lived, 9 wasn't there. 5 stamped his copper foot in the sand.

"If those ugly monsters hadn't chased me all day I would have got here sooner! I bet if I was here during the day I woulda-" 5 cut himself off with a frustrated snort

As he turned to leave he thought he saw red. He took a double take in that direction and spotted two glowing red orbs watching him from the shadow of the Workshop. 5 knew the eyes of a machine anywhere and quickly grabbed and sharp object from the ground and forced himself to face the threat. He walked closer and closer to the eyes, but the red lights didn't budge - they trembled. 5 found that odd, any machine would have attacked him by now. It was difficult to see with only one eye but 5 saw the gray outline of a rag doll surrounded the red orbs. Mistaken he dropped the weapon and said;

"I'm sorry. I coulda sworn you where a machine"

But the red orbs backed away, quivering nervously. He gray patched doll tried to wire his fingers but couldn't do so with only one hand. He twitched as bright sparks fired from the wires sticking from his head, illuminating his petrified face for a second.

"It's all right. You're hurt, I'll help you. Come out" 5 coaxed gently

The gray doll scurried into the moonlight and to 5's side and mouthed a "thank you" to him.

"Oh boy, you're really beat up" 5 said within seconds of looking at the new rag doll, "You look like twelve flying beasts fought over you"

Obviously the patched doll didn't understand the joke. 5 took the shorter gray doll by the shoulder and started to walk him in the direction of the Sanctuary.

"It's okay, I'll fix you up and maybe you can tell us where you came from and what happened" And 5 added distastefully, "But I bet 10 won't be happy about it"

_Characters (In order of apperance/mentioning)_

***~* Stitchpunks *~***

9 . . . To Save Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from burlap, hands and feet molded from copper. Body held shut by a brass zipper. Normal height. Most advanced and refined of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - Perviously defeated the Machine, now lives in peace with the other three surviving of his family, 3, 4 and 7. Is unable to let go of his departed friends and visets the Memorial often seeking guidance. After loosing contact with the spirits at the Memorial he becomes confused.

10 . . . To Perfect Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from canvas, steel claws, poorly constructed. Held shut with two belt straps. Of average heigtht and skinny figure. The firstborn of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - Once the protective self-proclaimed leader of the Stitchpunk, lost his influance quickly once 9 appeared. Upon realizing he was no longer a use to the group, killed himself to save 9. Changed his name to 10, a number recognized as a symbol of perfection, to mark his second term and Stitchpunk leader. Had a squeaker lodged in his chest that he's often humiliated by.

2 . . . To Inspire Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from a mix of burlap, canvas and leather put together in patches, bronze hands and worn wood feet. Held shut with a shoelace. Weakest and shortest of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - An elder and kindy inventor and medic. Killed in part by 1's intention and a mistake of 9's. Other than 9, the only one that seems to understand 6.

5 . . . To Guide Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from pale burlap with a leather eyepatch, copper hands. Held shut with two bronze buttons. Smaller than average.

Details - Reluctant student of 2's and map-maker. Killed by the Fabrication Machine. Distrusts 10, knowing his intentions in 2's murder perviously. Veiws 9 as a superior leader to 10.

8 . . . To Gaurd Us

Number Placement - Shoulder

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - New skin is a brownish-tawny fabric, steel-and-copper hands and feet. Large and bulky. Held together with two clips.

Details - A devoted fallower of 1. Killed by the Fabrication Machine.

7 . . . To Defend Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Bleached canvas-like fabric skin, copper hands and feet, held shut with a blue-green button. Smaller and more nimble than the majority of the others. Large scar on back from a battle with the Cat Beast many years ago. Hates 1 for reasons not fully understood.

Details - Perviously a loner and Beast-slayer, after the defeat of the Fabrication Machine now lives with 9, her apparent mate, and 3 and 4. Still retains her independant nature.

3 . . . To Teach Us

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Broader face, larger and hands and taller than 4.

Details - Child-like and twin of 4. More curious, outgoing and more easily hurt than his sister.

4 . . . To Define Us

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Smaller mouth, hands and slightly shorter than 3.

Details - Child-like and twin of 3. More cautious, rational and shy than her brother.

0 . . . To Remember Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - N/A

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from think white silk wit ha few stray scraps and threads hanging off her. Thin aluminum hands. Big sightless eyes. Extremely weak.

Details - Playfull but sickly Stitchpunk. No one is sure weither she existed or is a figment of 10's imagination.

***~* The Machines *~***

Ant Driods

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male

Anatomy - Several legs and many red eyes attatched to a single black section of its body. Slightly larger than a Stitchpunk.

Details - Created by the Machine, a quick-moving minor machine used primarily to stand look-out for the Machine or collect parts for him.

The Fabrication Machine

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Massive machine with two body sections with many arms and tools attatched, one massive processor for a head with a red eye, apposable tail attached him to his Factory.

Details - His processor was built by the creator of the Stitchpunk and his massive body added on so her may create war-machines. The cause of the exermination of life. Killed by 9. Created Stitchpunk beings of his own to eliminate the original nine, however his main motivation is something unknown. Rules Negative and in turn, the rest of the hybirds, with fear and intimidation.

The Skouts

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male

Anatomy - Rat skull head, raptor-like body with springs in legs. Long whiplash tail. Highly aposable fingers. Stitchpunk-sized. Fairly inteligent and programed with pack mentality. Shakes victems until dead.

Details - Created by the Machine. Fast, nimble but very fragile. Used to collect items and patrol boarders.

The Cat Beast

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Long monkey-like legs, cat skull head with one lightbulb eye to see at night and spiked back. Two-and-a-half Stitchpunk heights.

Details - Created by the Machine. Nimble and powerful but uninteligent. Enjoys toying with her pray. Killed by 7 but salvaged by the Machine.

***~* Machine-Stitchpunk Hybrids *~***

Negative (-1) . . . The Innocent

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - White leather skin, frail steel claws, bone tail with stinger, needle fangs. Held shut with two buckles in an "X" across the chest. Red slitted eyes. Shorter and scrawnier than 1.

Details - Created by the Machine to be the leader of the others of his kin. Skittish and very weak but self-loving and irritable. Worships the Machine like a god, fallowing him blindly however often regreats the bad things he's been forced to do. The only hybird to speak directly to the Machine.

Tzarina (-9) . . . The Understanding

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from a black purse with fur trim. Fur runs down head like a mane, over chest and down back going into a long tail. Zipper runs down the back of her head. Heavy paws with razor blade retractable claws. Red eyes and soild silver fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as a soilder and heir to Negative if he should die. Deeply reaspects elders for their apparent "wisom". Hostile and pig-headed but cannot fight the almost motherly side inside her. Heavy claws make her attacks ineffective on foes that are too fast to be hit.

Sparks (-5) . . . The Healer

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Majorly a tough gray fabric with patches and stitches. Many stitches along his face and a "Y" insision on his chest. Black metal claws and a white electrical plug for a tail. Shorter than Tzarina and skinny. Red eyes. Exploded patches of wires stitcking out of a wound in his head.

Details - Created by the Machine to recharge himself and bring machines to life. Sparks is submissive and jumpy. He tries to please everyone and tends to be friendly to those who show kindness to him. The wires often glitch causing Sparks to convulse and scream something from his memories - usually something unuseful.

Cicatrix (-2) . . . The Strong

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Dirty pale burlap skin covered in several patches and stitches. Smallest of all the hybirds and Stitchpunk. Plump. Four heavy arms modled after the Machines', two other apendages sticking from shoulders for welding. No tail, wire-cutter teeth.

Details - Created by the Machine soley for laybor. Able to lift things three-times his weight but his health is fading fast. Peacefull and fasinated by nature.

Slasher (-8) . . . The Loyal

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from a red pin cusion. Has stripes of black tar drawn on him. Rows a neddles rising form head, back, shoulders and jaws. Tall and skinny. Medical needle tail, red eyes and huge needle fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as an enforcer of Negative. Dense and misguided by Negative. Enjoys tormenting the "lower" dolls, being Cicatrix, Sparks, Dapple, Nip and Tuk.

Dapple (-6) . . . The Seeing

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from a wool black-and-blue striped sweater. Patch of white fur on head as hair. Frail hooks for fingers. Long tail with the head of a paintbrush at the end.

Details - Created by the Machine to design beasts. Speaks in a slow soft voice. Loves all of her kin, even Negative and Slasher who abuse her. Has dreams for a "family". Takes punishment without fighting back, even if she's undeserving.

-7 . . . The Independant

Number Placement - Unknown

Allegiance - Unknown

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Unknown

Details - Ran away from the rest of the hybrids for an unknown reason.

Nip (-3) . . . The Loving

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Head and body made from gray denium, arms and legs made from the same material. Green camo cape and hood, bright orange inside. Black and silver claws. Pocket swen into belly. Boarder face and more heavyset than Tuk. Red eyes. No tail, small fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as a worker. Enjoys picking on anything smaller or apparently weaker than herself. Loves the company of her sister but dosn't realize it until she's alone. The leader of the sisters.

Tuk (-4) . . . The Careing

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Head and body made from gray demium, arms and legs made from same material. Turquoise camo cape and good, bright orange inside. Black and silver claws. Pocket sewn onto belly. Skinner than Nip and has unfocused eyes as a result of being beaned on the head too much by her sister. Red eyes. No tail, small fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as a worker. Enjoys fallowing Nip around. More friendly than her sister but still enjoys her wicked ways. A little slower because of being hit on the head too much. More submissive than Nip.

***~* Others *~***

The Toy Maker

A scientest and ex-toy maker hired by the State to create the Machine. The Machine was taken away from the Toy Maker before he was able to complete testing on it. Only after the Machine went mad with power did he create the nine Stitchpunk creatures to continue life on the dead Earth. Died after bring 9 to life.


	4. Part III: Black and White

**Author's Notes: ** I didn't have time to spell check this very well so bare with me. The third part were the line between Stitchpunks and Hybirds starts to blurr. Color is very important in this part. We explore 6 and Dapple's definition of "family" and see how well it fares in society. We also get a look at -7. There is a reunion between 9's group at 10's group. Several Lord of the Rings referances for you to notice in this one *hint*10*hint*.

**Part III: Black and White**

It was moon-high when 5 made it back to the Sanctuary, on the way he asked the beat up gray doll many questions; His new friend only stayed silent and stared at him shyly. 5 knew he must be careful. It was late and, although there wasn't a cerphue anymore, 10 would be grouchy about him showing up so late. 5 and the gray doll made their way as quietly as they could past the throne room and to the bedding quarters behind the stone wall. After passing 8's room they where halted by a voice from behind:

"You have some nerve showing up after moon-high!"

5 stopped cold, at the other end of the hall was stood 10, who obviously wasn't very happy. 2 was behind the ornate elder, also looking at 5 scoldingly. 8, who was a rosed by 10's shouting, emdged from his room. 10's eyes wided as he approached 5.

"Who's this?" 10 demanded nudging 5 aside

"He was hur-"

"Meeting in the throne room! Now!" 10 ordered suddenly before turning to walk to the main room

The others fallowed, their eyes staring at the new gray creature who hid behind 5. 10 stood upon his book and watched 5 like a hawk as he gave his story.

"I found him hiding, he wouldn't talk to me but he didn't seem like he wanted to hurt me either. He lost a hand and got torn somehow, so I thought I'd help" 5 said, "Can he stay?"

"I don't like this one" 10 growled stepping down from his podium and looking down at the gray doll, "He's got some sinster eyes, comparable to that of a - machine. Those evil red eyes should tell you he's not to be trusted! Savage creature!" The patched doll backed away but 10 continued to stare him down, 10 snapped, "Have you anything to say! Speak! You vile machine!"

The gray doll ran away from the white cloaked leader and crouched behind 2, shivering. 2 comforted the stressed doll. Looking over his wounds quickly, 2 looked back at 10 who'd then calmed down a bit.

"He can't talk, something severed his vocal chords. It almost looks like a bite" 2 explained

"Then you'd best fix it so he can explain himself" 10 grumbled

2 looked back into the gray dolls cut throat. The gray doll nudged him away and pointed to the patch of wires sticking from his head.

"Oh, I see" 2 said

2 carefully moved a wire before the gray doll jerked and white lighting came from his wound.

"S-S-S-parks! Sparks! _Argghh!_" Sreatched the patched doll as his body convulsed, then saying calmly, "My name is Sparks"

"Okay Sparks - Where did you come from?" 5 asked

"And what, dare I ask, are you?" 10 added folding his arms

"Machine-ragdoll hybrid number -5 - _Government expriment. Classified! Classified! _- Healing driod. Reassembled in fabrication mill."

Sparks' voice glitched and fuzzed out many times, making his rushed speach practically untraslatable. Sparks laughed neveriously, "In case you havn't noticed: I'm a _doll_!" His wires lit again as he shouted the last word

"So you say" 10's eyes narrowed, "I do believe you metioned you were a machine hybrid"

" -_ W-W-Welcome to the age of the machine! _-" Came a voice from Sparks that wasn't his own

"What? I knew it! 8, dispose of it!" 10 ordered

"No, wait!" 2 objected

8 snatched Sparks by his wires and suddenly the gray dolls body stiffened and electrisity blasted out form his head. Sparks cried a distorted shreik. 8 was frightened by the small doll and dropped him immedatily. Sparks stood straight with his red eyes staring into nothing. The Stitchpunks were no less that overwhelmed by the sudden epsiode.

"Sparks, what happened to you?" 5 asked

Sparks made a high pitched sound, sounding like a streatching record and his head turned slowly toward the one-eyed doll.

"The humans! The humans! _Government experiement - iement - iement! _Testing! No! No!" Sparks started to thrash around as if he where trying to ecape the jaws of a terrable monster, "Stop! No more! _ Can't - can't - grrrahhhg_!"

10 was snatched by the front of his cloak and pushed in close to Sparks' patched face.

"My body is in shreds, my mind - _experiment! _- my mind! My head! Why? Why? Why? You ask me why?" Sparks hollered into the elder's face, "Beware and be frightened; the humans. Cutting, slicing, rearranging what's inside -_ inside _- I can't breathe! Can't breathe . . . Humans are evil -_ my mind _-."

Sparks voice hushed and he realesed 10's cloak and stared mindlessly. 2 put a claw and the still gray doll's back.

"What about the humans, Sparks?" 2 asked

"The humans?" A bolt of white came from his head, and he giggled madly before exploding into a fury of words in scores vocies not of his own, "-_ WOULD YOU LIKE SOME FRIES WITH THAT, SIR? - CALL 1-800-2256-8924 NOW AND RECIEVE A FREE GIFT WITH YOUR ORDER!_ - _GREEN!_ - _ BARIUM HYDROXIDE! _- _OOOOHHH! WHO LIVES IN A PINEAPPLE UNDER THE SEA? _- _CUPCAKES! _- _NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP! NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWN! NEVER GONNA TURN AROUND AND HURT YOU! _- _IN RECENT NEWS_ _TONIGHT_ - _THIS IS SPARTA!_ - _METAMORPHIC ROCK! _- _YOU SPIN MY HEAD RIGHT AROUND, RIGHT AROUND! _- _SCREW YOU GUYS, I'M GOING HOME! _- _OUR FINE CHANCELOR _- _STRIPED SWEATERS! _- _ I WON! _- _AM I MISSING AN EYEBROW? - FALLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD! _-_ MACHINES OF PEACE! _. . . "

"He's mad." 10 rasped at one point

Sparks fell backwords to the ground, writhing and stuggling aganst and unknown threat, his red eyes wide in terror.

"_I seems to have no effect, sir. Try it again. The machine appears to be great deal of pain. Remove the skull cap and insert the needle. It appears to be having an adverse effect to it, sir. Continue the expriment! Try it again! We're loosing it, sir. Dispose of this one and make another_" Sparks mumbled before quieting and lying still

The room was quiet, no one could think of a word to say to the disturbed little rag doll lieing on the ground breathing harshly. At last 2 approached him and helped him up. Sparks rubbed the side of his head and regained his submissive deminour.

"I'm sorry. That happens to me sometimes, don't worry about it. If you leave me alone it should pass" Sparks whimpered, "But I've never had an episode that big before. _Ooww_." Sparks put his black claw over his head

2 glanced up at 10 who was still eyeing Sparks like he came from another planet. At length 10 spoke;

"He may stay, but only in a sicluded room close to mine so that I may keep an eye on him. Take him there and repair him if you wish. The meeting is over"

Everyone in the room dispersed and went back into the crack in the wall where their bedrooms where. 10 stayed where he stood.

"5, wait. I want to speak with you" 10 said

5 went back into the throne room. Now it was just he and 10, that made 5 a little nervious. 10 motioned the one-eyed doll in closer with his good claw.

"I havn't gotten my answer, what where you doing outside so late?" 10 tried to sound polite

5 wanted to tell him it was none of his bussiness but knew that would only make the elder more suspisious.

"I was out - at the Memorial, I hoped I would find 9"

"Why?"

5 paused, knowing 10 would not like his answer;

"Want the truth?" 5 answered trying to build up his courage, "I was looking for 9 because he seemed like a good leader, a-and he might know what's going on. We could use him, don't you agree 10?"

"And what's worng with me? Am I not good enough for you? What was my fault that has made me so wrong in your mind?"

10's scowl made 5 back off but he continued his argument. An old hatred came back to the one-eyed doll.

"I know what you tried to do - you sent 2 out to be killed, remember? And I bet once you thought the rest of us where no use to you, you would have done the same!"

It was true - this simple fact only elivated 10's self-hatred. 10 clawed at his temples in frustration.

"No! You lie! 5, I beg you not to tell 2 what I tried to do. My mind was clouded - I - I-"10 struggled to find an excuse

"I was right all along. Tomarrow I'm going out to find 9, he was a better leader than you'll _ever _be!"

"I am _twise _the leader 9 was!" 10 roared and struck 5 down with his golden claw

5 fell to the floor, clutching a rip in his chest caused by 10's attack. At first 10 didn't want to believe he caused the wound but when he realized his new claw was able to do some significant damage he started to feel less helpless. He was finally able to fight back. 5 stumbled to his feet.

"I'm telling 2 what you did" 5 said

"No 5, please!" 10 took the one-eyed doll by the shoulder, "Do you know what he might think of me if he knew this? 2 could - He could have me sent away for this! It would be a good reason to get me exiled, or worse" 10 clutched his throat

"All right, all right, I won't say anything" 5 said, "_You _should."

With that 5 exited. Leaving 10 to stand alone again. 10 glanced and his poweful golden claw and flexed it before leaving to his room for the night - hopfully to meet Zero again.

However, it was not 10 to whom the dreams came to. That night, on the east of town, 9 and the twins slept in their room in the Museum. This night, it was the dreams of 9 that the mysterious Zero haunted;

_There was a large room, cluttered with many books, tools, notes and other objects. He stood upon a desktop, from there he could see the pale light coming through the ajar window. Everything appeared to be in shades of brown. It didn't take long for 9 to recognize that place as the Workshop, although it was somehow different._

_ Usually 9 knew when he was dreaming, and quickly dedused that was so because he could see the Toy Maker not a far distance away working a new creation. Before he could investigate he was interupted by a thin, youthful voice from behind;_

_"Hiya!"_

_ 9 turnned toward the squeak and saw a small, white Stitchpunk peeking out from behind a book. She emdged and it was clear how frail and sick-looking she was, her eyes where sightlessly dull - dispite this she seemed chipper._

_"I heard you" The child stumbled up to him and extended and skinny hand to prod him, her white eyes tried to look in his direction but missed, "You're new!"_

_ The little girl nearly fell over, 9 caught her and put her back on her weak feet. This only reasulted in her going into a giggle fit._

_"She's blind" 9 whispered to himself_

_"I can see, I can see feelings" Zero answered_

_"I havn't seen you before, I've never drempt of others" 9 answered peering around at her back, "Zero. No, that can't be right. That would mean you'd have to be older than 1 and he's never-"_

_"That's because he dosen't remember me" Zero answered, her happiness fading, "It's not his fault though. But now something bad is happening"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"My memories float in the air, even when I'm gone. But something bad is twisting it and scattering the spirits"_

_"That-that would explain what's happened at the memorial" 9 mused, he looked back to Zero, "But what's this about 1?"_

_"He's remembering again - but something's wrong. Something's wrong. Something's upset the balance."_

_"What do you mean?" 9 asked, the dream started to echo and blurr, "Wait! Zero!"_

_"Trapped in my memory. Trapped in my memory. Don't become trapped" Called Zero's voice although her figure had faded away_

_ The browns for the dream blurred together and rippled._

_"Wait! What happened to you, Zero?"_

9 found himself back in his room. Everything was as it was, the documents still cluttered on his shelf, the small room covered with wall-to-wall books save only a small broken window to the outside. 3 and 4 still cuddled up on either side of him, both still asleep. The nighttime blue still loomed in the Museum while the twany sunlight reached through the window. Soon his troubled thoughts about the dreams faded. He nudged the twins awake, they slowly rose their hooded heads and greated him with a "good morning" flicker.

"Let's get up, I don't think 7's come back yet" He said, "So we should probably leave her alone, no going out today"

The yellow sun slowly emerdged from the sea of ruins, turning the night blue a brief greenish color. During this time 6 made his way back to the Sanctuary, rolling a glass bottle filled with white liquid. He managed the get his gift up the front steps and work the elevator up to the throne room. Once he exited the elevator he was noticed by 2.

"6, there you are. I thought something might have happened!" 2 exclaimed rushing the to striped rag doll, "I know you're troubled by your dreams, or, um, lack of, but - what's this?"

2 tilted his body around 6 to look at the little glass bottle. He read its' label.

"Whiteout? That's rare. Where did you get this?" 2 asked inquizitivly

"Sister" 6 answered with a cheerfull nod

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Familes give gifts" He said as-a-matter-of-factly, "White for me, black for her. New for both of us. At first it might be strange but get to know it and we're happy"

"That's a lovely thought 6, but who told you this?"

"White for me" 6 repeated and went to roll the bottle to his corner

2 watched bewilderedly as 6 opened the whiteout and began to scribble, though it didn't show well on the light paper. Behind him he heard a painfull moan. 2 turned and saw 10 exit his room, his cloak on crooked and his claw rubbing his forehead.

"Good morning, 10" 2 greeted awkardly

"Good morning? Don't make me vomit" 10 reasponed less bitterly and more angonized, "Good morning, when I havn't gotten any sleep last night at all? See me later and see what your _good morning _gets you"

"I think 6 may be sick, and you don't sound too hot either" 2 answered

"You're observant" 10 let himself fall into this throne

"You should try to get some sleep 10" 2 said feeling concerned for the elder

"Sleep? What good is that? I can't dream"

2 was struck, that's exactly what 6 said the night before. Now he was certain something was going wrong. Before he could think of any question to ask, 10 grumbled;

"Now go away, can't you tell when an old fool wants to be left to his own?"

The moon was unusually bright, turning the smog clouds luminous blue. There had been many clear, bright nights in a row since 6 first encountered his new friend, Dapple. 6 sat on the root waiting for Dapple, gazing up at the tilting leaves and branches of the massive tree above. The Clearing was a place that brought more peace and serenity than 10's Sanctuary could ever dream to bring to anyone - including to 10 himself. The pair of striped dolls met every night and talked about families and their dreams, not even thinking about the strange fact that both wore the other's name on their back.

Dapple finally arrived, it always took her a long time to get there. She scrabled over the ruins and felt the flat bricks of the Clearing with her claws to make sure she was in the right place. After knowing she was at the Clearing, Dapple bounded across the soft grass patches and sat down beside her "brother".

"Sister." 6 greeted

"Brother." Dapple answered, "I have brought my painting I made with your gift"

"I brought mine, in white"

The pair exchanged their art. Dapple also had 6's drawing talent, being his copy. However she had a much different style. In black ink on dark paper was her dipiction of her family, drawn all in one continous line, never breaking. On the pale paper drawn in whiteout was 6's dipiction of his own family, drawn in quick, sketchy flecks. 6 sat close to the tree tracing Dapple's lines with his claw. Dapple was far away, running her hand over the drawing to "see" it. 6 looked over to the black-and-blue rag doll and shyly approached her.

"I-I brought you another gift" 6 said

Dapple turned her eyeless face toward him.

"'What is it?" She asked

6 took his other gift from beside the tree root. He held a forked twig he found in 2's room and placed it in Dapple's hooked fingers.

"I knew you have a hard time coming here. You can feel what's around more easily"

The night's bright, white moon penitrated the massive curciluar hole in the Sanctuary where the clock once was. The pale light shone as a spotlight on the throne. The Sanctuary's king still kept his spot upon his seat, so deeply troubled by lack of sleep that he didn't bother wipe away the white ash that covered him, turning him into a white ghost. 10 had finally fallen asleep and he was granted his wish: that night he was visited by Zero again.

_ He found himself upon the bookshelf again, gazing into a book as big as he was. 1 turned the page of the Shakespear play, and continued to read motionlessly. Behind him were the restless nosies of the white, weak child rolling around on the floor._

_"1, you're being so boring! I wanna do something" Zero whined_

_ 1 blinked in an annoyed way and continued to read._

_"1 . . . !" Zero dragged on her whine until she was answered_

_"Whaaaat . . . ?" 1 snarled mimicking her wail_

_"I'm bored"_

_"Then entertain youself, do I look like your father?" Snarled the pale rag doll_

_ Zero groaned and pushed herself to her feet. She felt around for something to play with and soon came upon a feather. Zero tossed the feather into the air, let it touch her face and blew it back up. She continued this game until she blew the feather atop 1's head. 1 swung around toward her._

_"Do you mind?" He snapped_

_"Sorry" Zero said, "What are you doing anyway?"_

_"I'm reading" 1 grumbled dryly turning his head back to the text_

_"Can I read too?" Zero asked stumbling toward his voice_

_"By all means, if you'll be quiet"_

_ Zero bounded over and took a spot in front of him, she leaned back on him to keep herself from falling over. Of course, being blind, reading was impossable and she soon became dreadfully bored again. Her favorite sense was touch and it wasn't long before she was poking at the blet buckle on 1's stomach. Her prodding soon evolved into a very irritating, constant finger jabbing into the gut, all the while she queitly chanted;_

_"Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish."_

_ After a short while 1 growled, "Do you see this claw? If you continue that infernal action it's going to be-"_

_"No." Zero answered_

_"What?"_

_"No, I can't see it"_

_ 1's eyes widened in questioning. He waved his hand before her white eyes and when she didn't reaspond he realized._

_"Oh dear" He rasped in sudden sympathy, "I didn't realize"_

_"It's okay" Zero squeaked light-heartedly_

_"Well, since you can't see, I shall read for you - if you havn't anything to do?"_

_"No." Zero said, "But can we play after?"_

_"Humph. My sympathy has its limits. Let's just see what kind of a mood I'm in and I'll consiter it" 1 scoffed_

The fallowing morning the golden sun was hovering just over the dead Human-City. After telling the twins to say in the Museum, 9 went out to visit the Memoral. He walked the path leading to the graves, holding his light staff in one hand in case of a machine attack. The Zero dream he had only added to the ever growing mountain of questions - and he was about to discover more mysteries.

He walked to the center of the graves, he wanted to look at the talisman and remember his friends. 9 reached the center and bent down to pick it up but his copper hands only swept up gray ashes. The talisman was gone! 9 thought he remembered it being taken by a rat-headed monster, or was that a dream too? Everything seemed to blur together now.

9 turned his head around to make sure he didn't just put it somewhere else. He optics blurred past a black figure standing on a mountain of bricks. 9 looked back at the split bricks and saw atop it was that shadowy rag doll.

"Well, look who happened to turn up again?" The black rag doll jibed jumping down to the ground

"You!" 9 exclaimed, staring at the shadows' red number, "Who are you?"

"I am Tzarina, it means queen, Queen of Beasts. But I havn't any time to chat with the likes of _you_!" Tzarina's nasty voice recoiled, "I'm on a mission"

"A misson? Who sent you on a mission?"

"That is none of your concern" Tzarina was within spitting distance of 9 now, her shoulder blades rose impatiently, "Where is the one called 2?"

"2? What do you want with 2?" 9 retorted slightly devensivly

"He knows something" She hissed, her red orbs shifting

The exchange was interupted by a pricing war-cry. Tzarina swung her maned head around and saw standing on the spilt wall of the Workshop stood a white, skull-headed figure. The dark doll's hackles raised and she hissed fearfully as the white doll ran down toward her.

"Stay away from him, evil machine!" 7 cried raising her spear toward the black doll

Tzarina was thrown into the air by the spear. She spread her arms and legs and glided softly to the ground but before she could think, 7 continued her attack. Tzarina was kicked in the head by the bleached warrior and quickly jumped right into conflict. For a brief moment the pair reseambled a human fighting with a lionness. 7 was too nimble to be hit by Tzarina's big heavy paws. Soon the black doll was strangled and held to the ground with 7's spear while her claws flailed helplessly.

"7! No!" 9 cried snatching the bird-skulled Stitckpunks' hand

This was enough time Tzarina needed to kick 7 off her. Tzarina sprinted on all fours to make a retreat but 9 was knocked away by the warrior and 7 persued her. The black doll was priced by the spear and forced into the dirt. 7 pull the spear out of the machine's back and stabbed her again. Tzarina jumped away, cornered by the edge of the massive sinkhole, baring her silver teeth in fear. With a flash of white, the shadowy doll was tumbling down to the bottom of the hole.

"7! Don't hurt her!" 9 shoved 7 back

The pair looked down into the hole as the black figure struggled to push itself up. The red eyes stared up and them. From the black figure came a massive roar. The sound bounced through the Emptiness and was answered by a far-off metalic hollar. The black figure at the bottom of the sink hole limped away into shadow.

"What are you doing?" 7 pushed 9 away, "You idiot! I almost had it!"

9 glanced into the shambles, hearing metallic cackling coming closer.

"She wasn't-"

9 was slammed by something heavy and lolled across the dirt. The youngest Stitchpunk rose up and saw a hump-backed body with red orbs and six long dangly legs looming over him. The hyena beast cackled and came closer slowly, swishing his hook tail. 9 wasn't going to wait for the machine to get him and stumbled into a dead run.

The Cackle Beasts' thundering feet and barking were frighteningly close behind. 9 spotted outcrop of rusty cars and pulled himself up. He jumped to the hood of a car and looked behind, the Cackle Beast's snapping white teeth that where coming toward him. 9 grabbed his staff and slammed the machine's skull, causing a tooth to go flying away. As the Stitchpunk continued up the pile the beast snarled contemptiously.

9 reached the very top of the cars and saw a dead Walker sprawled out over the other side, leading to the ground. He looked behind and saw the Cackle Beast slinking toward him. Before 9 had time to think a metal claw slammed down, knocking him onto the dead Walker. He slid down the mangled machine and slammed into the dirt below.

Without even bothering to look behind him, the Stitchpunk continued to sprint away. He turned on his heel around a corner in the street and was startled to find it was a dead end. 9 turned around to run back but there was the machine, stalking toward him on six legs, cackling mockingly.

Then he remembered he still had his staff. He went to turn on the light when cold metal claws closed in on him. The lightbulb staff fell to the ground while 9 was lifted up by the freezing hand. The Cackle Beasts' skull snapped in antisipation while the 9 struggled in vain. His optics flashed around to find escape and when he looked up he found 7 standing on a concrete wall, wedging her spear inbetween a crack. Then all he saw was the gaping teeth of the machines' skull about to rip into him.

The skull was gone in a sudden blurr of dirty gray. The claw was stiff and crashed to the ground and 9 fell out of its' cold grip. 9 looked back to where the machine was and found him crushed by a massive chunk of gray concerite. He looked back up at 7, standing by a crack that turned into a huge hole. She looked down upon him with the bird skull pulled over her face.

"7, thank-"

The white warrior immedatly turned her scarred back on him and jumped to the other side of the wall. She was gone again.

Dapple was making her away away from the Factory, a number of Seekers and Skouts where crawling around the area collecting bits and peaces for their master. However they paid little heed to Dapple, not programmed at keep an eye on her. She was safe if they saw her. She trotted the long trek toward the Clearing, humming a little tune her and her "brother" made up.

All around her she felt her own happy energy, making the energy of the Seekers around her happy too. All she "saw" was the warm, gold happy feeling of her and the machines. But then she stopped cold thinking she felt an insense glow of red anger. Yes, it was there, she could hear it crawling in the ruins. She heard something leap in front of her. She felt its anger, it was almost flaming red in rage, it was in the shape of a lithe rag doll, on it's chest was a shining "7" with a slash through it. Its face was glinting white like it was covered with stars and had two orange gems for eyes.

"The bleach-faced warrior!" Dapple gasped

"-6, baby. Still hanging with that old nut case, -1?" Purred a smooth bass voice, "Too bad y'all aren't free like me"

The red anger lept away and she heard it exit over a pile of ruins.

Dapple crawled over a tree root and walked foreword grazing her "seeing" twing over the ground. 6 spotted her and dropped his new drawing and embraced her.

"Sister!" He squeaked, he released her and ran over to his drawing, "Brought a new gift! I don't see yours"

"I am sorry. My firstborn gave me a job to do, I must draw plans for machines now. I had no time" She answered miserably, "But I still love my firstborn. Family"

"I brought a new gift" 6 answered trying to perk her up

He placed his drawing in front of a the eyeless rag doll. Dapple ran her weak claws over the drawing creating a picture of them in her mind.

"In white" 6 added

Dapple grinned with her tiny, harmless fangs and went back to "seeing" 6's picture. Her claws stopped.

"I love them" She said

"Can I bring someone to see you?" 6 asked

"Really? You could do that?" Dapple turned her head toward him, "I do love my family but they don't understand yet. Besides Cicatrix but he's-"

"I know someone we can trust" 6 reasured her

"6, I must tell you something" Dapples tone became stern

"What?"

"Beware the bleach-faced warrior, 6"

"Beware the bleach-faced warrior" 6 repeated

A red creature hiding behind a tree root grumbled lowly. Slasher lurched to jump in on them but paused - Negative would be most pleased if he told him where Dapple was sneaking off to the past few weeks! Slasher turned away and ran off toward the Factory.

"She's been doing _what_?" Snapped Negative from atop his posion throne

"Yeah, yeah! Going to a puny, dirty, stripey Stitchpunk. Thinks they're brother and sister!" Slasher nodded abesent-mindedly, "Funny, ain't it?"

"No, you idiot! This puts us in terrable danger, Slasher!" Negative rasped fearfully, "What if that savage she's been seeing tells its friends? We would be discovered. And the Fabricator isn't ready for an attack" Negative let his head drop into his claws, "Oh why, Dapple. Why do you have such a free spirit?"

"Oh" Slasher grunted, "So what do we do?"

"We have no choice I'm afraid - for the good of the Fabricator" Negative swallowed, tried to delete all memories of the striped doll, and turned his eyes to his kin, "Slasher, if you see her go to the Clearing once more - kill her. I'll to my best to convince her to stay, but sometimes there things need to be done"

10 hadn't moved from his throne for the whole day again, he didn't even care enough to give orders; asking 2 to take over for him was all he said. 5 couldn't complain, 10 wasn't mad with power again but it almost pained him more to see the elder so destrought and weak. All 10 could think of was getting back to sleep, his dream world and Zero were far better than the shell of a life he lived in the Sanctuary. It was midday when sleep finally reached that poor fool.

_Close to the stair well leading down to the below floor of the Workshop came scuffling and Zero's tell-tale giggling. 1 stepped daintily around the creeky wood floor and somewhat saracstically searched the room. The frail child's giggling was hard to miss, as was her little feet sticking out from behind a coat hanging down from its hanger. 1 knew better than to find her right away, although her hiding spot was dreadfully obvious, she'd have said he cheated._

_"Oh, where ever could that little scrap have gone?" He asked himself half heartedly, "Perhaps she has dissapeared. How convenient for myself, I finally get my own space and peace!"_

_ 1 plopped himself down on the base to the coat hanger. Zero's giggling had stopped and he heard her sniffling from the coat behind him. Reader, 1 didn't mean what he'd said; he was only practicing acting, and poor Zero was his only victem when the Toy Maker so busy with making a new Stitchpunk. 1 continued his personal play._

_"Although I do admit it is rather quiet without the brat" The sniffling behind him stopped, "Maybe I drove her off, I certainly complain about her enough. But I do need company"_

_ He slouched his shoulders and drooped his head in a mellodramatic fassion. He hid his eyes behind his claws and cried;_

_"Oh, woe! Have I made a horrable mistake! Poor Zero, so young and alone!" He cued her for enterance_

_ 1 paused, Zero hadn't come. _Did _he make a horrable mistake? Did she really run off. Zero wouldn't survive outside, she barly survived the Workshop!_

_ 1's back was impacted and he was tackled to the ground. Atop him was a giggling, writhing Zero. 1 turned himself on his back in an attempt to excape but Zero sat firmly on his stomach._

_"You can't get rid of me, can you?" She asked playfully_

_"It's a curse" He reasponed light heartedly_

_"We're pals, right?" Zero lied down on the other Stitchpunk so her head was on his chest_

_"I suppose" 1 answered curtly_

_"And we'll be friends forever, right?"_

_"Oh, I can only hope" He sighed rolling his eyes_

_"You're so grumpy" Zero giggled, then she gasped bombastically, "Hey! Let's wrestle!"_

_"No! No wrestling! Zero stop it! Desist! Stop that! Zero, that tickles!"_

_ The Toy Maker, holding the new being he'd just brought to life in his palm, came closer to the shuffling from the small room and the sounds of Zero and 1's laugher. He glanced down at his latest creation with an amused smirk._

_"Those are the others, they're good playmates but 1's a little protective of his friend" He whispered down to 2, "Don't be surprized if he snaps at you"_

_ The Toy Maker entered and crouched down to veiw the pair. Zero heard him coming and looked up to where she thought he was and greeted him enthusatically. However 1 saw the newcomer and stood in front of the little girl while trying to appear intimidating._

_"Zero, 1, say hello to 2." The Toy Maker set 2 on the ground_

_"Hiya!" Zero ran out and slammed herself into 2 in what she intended to be a hug_

_"Why hello. You're energetic, aren't you?" 2 replied returning her hug_

_"Thanks, let's-"  
"Ah-ah-ah, Zero!" 1 pulled her away from the other by one of her dangling scraps, "What have I told you about strangers?"_

_"He's not a stranger, he's family" The Toy Maker objected looking down at 1 scornfully_

_ But 1 defiantly pushed Zero behind him, glaring at 2. 2, just recently brought to life, didn't know how to handle the rejection._

_"1, don't be difficult!" Snapped the creator_

_ 1 jumped at the noise and stepped aside from Zero fearfully. Zero trotted over to 2 and begged him to play. The Toy Maker stood back up, 1 stared up at him hatefully._

_"I don't know what part of me you came from 1, but please, be nice to 2"_

"1! 1! 1! 1!", the old leader was shaken awake.

He opened his eyes irritably and was greeted by uneven optics and a striped face. 10 groaned and nudged 6 off with his golden claw.

"That's not my name anymore, 6." He muttered as the striped doll continued to ramble

"Beware, beware, beware" 6 panted

"What? What? Is Cat Beast near?" 10 leaned himself foreword

"The bleach-faced warrior. Beware the bleach-faced warrior" 6 continued shaking 10 by his ash-covered sholders

10 let out an annoyed quip and let himself slink back into his throne. He thought all this nonsence was finished when "the source" mystery was solved. He put his forehead in a claw and tolerated a few more minuets of 6's babbling.

"My sister, she said beware the bleach-faced warrior. The bleach-faced warrior is full of hate. Beware the bleach-faced warrior!"

"6!" 10 silenced him

The patriarch blinked tiredly and let himself go limp.

"Please, I'm old and tired. I havn't time for your games" He sighed, "Pardon me for not thinking of a more inteligent sounding phrase: but please do _shut up_, 6!"

The striped doll stood motionless as 10 ignored him and pretended to go back to sleep. 6 turned away and went into his room, he didn't speak for the rest of that day.

_The Clearing was alight with golden glow of the sun. The long leaves of the willow tree danced on the cracked stone masonry floor. 6 patiently waited for Dapples' arrival, batting at some yellow butterflies._

_ The world started to twirl and turn from gold to blue then to red and black. The storm of color seemed to be blocked out by a white figure. 6 saw a white Stitchpunk who was young and sick. She said nothing but just stared back at him in pain._

_ A clap of thunder sounded and the white doll lit up like a strike of lightning, lieing on the gound, broken. For a second she turned into a striped figure. Then it was dark again. Massive silver fangs and red eyes bared down and the thunder turned into a roar. And finally, black and nothingness, accept the pattering of rain._

"Now what is all this about, 6?" 2 asked climbing over a peice of human rubbish, made slick from last night's storm

"Sister. We give gifts. She can't see objects so she has a hard time getting to the Clearing, so I gave her a stick to see with" 6 answered chipperly leading the elder closer to the willow tree

"So_ that's _what happened to my crutch!" 2 responded, then chuckled joviantly, "Oh, from what you said she's sounds absolutly lovely, 6"

6 paused, remembering last night's strange dream, he discarded the thought and answered, "She striped just like me, she draws just like me, she thinks just like me"

The artist could not see the differances between him and his "sister".

"I can't belive you found someone else out here, and you didn't tell us sooner!" 2 smiled looking at the gold sun, "She must be very special"

"Sister" 6 answered

He crawled up the tall tree root that conceiled the Clearing lit in gold. 6 lifted himself over and halted, his optics shrunken into pin points. A black smog cloud covered the sky.

"What is it?" 2 looked over the root and stopped also, "No."

A broken striped doll lie in the center of the place of peace. Her back was bent sharply. Oil lie stagnet from her neck. Her head lie decapitated, the rag around her eyes was gone. She was drenched with rain. Dapple has been slaughtered. Her oil stained a picture she'd brought and blacked out all that was drawn on it. It looked like that last thing she ever wanted was to see again.

"She's dead. The poor dear." 2 whispered and looked at 6

6 hadn't budged, his unmatching eyes didn't move from his sister. 2 put a claw on 6's shoulder. The striped doll hid from the truth in his hands. 6's breathing shuttered.

"We should leave her here, at least she'll be somewhere she loved" 2 assured his friend

The Stitchpunks went back to the false security of the Sanctuary. Dapple was dead. Without this love 6 was just like 10 now: his will was broken.

It was stormy again that night, the rain came down in silver, drenching sheets. Tzarina trudged blindly though the soft mud, the spear wounds in her back sparking in the rain. She let out loud cries for her fellow machines without realizing she only stumbled deeper into the Stitchpunk's territory.

"Negative!" She yowled desperatly before dropping to her knees in the mud

Tzarina let out an airy howl before falling on her side into the muck. She picked up foot-fall approaching her from behind, she forced her head to move and look up. She saw above her a huge doll figure starting down at her intensely. Tzarina had no engery left to fight, she simply sighed and let her head fall back into the mud and let sweet sleep envelop her.

In the Sanctuary 10 sat alone and still, covered in ashes, on his throne. 2 and 6 left that morning to an unknown desitination, 8 was patroling the boarders and 5 was in his room. The elevator started to creek, someone was cranking it up. Nothing on 10 moved accept his eyes which focused on 2 and 6 as they exited the bucket.

"Where were you two?" 10 demanded in an unintimiating tone

"Dapple is dead" 6 whispered

"What? Who?" Some ashes fell off 10's face as he rose an eyebrow

"6 made a friend - "

"Sister" 6 corrected blankly

"- Sister in the Emptiness" 2 answered, "He went take me to meet her but I'm afraid we found her murdered"

"Murdered"? 10 repeated lostly "How so?"

"When he found her, her spine was snapped and she was decapitated. Either one could have killed her"

"Broken back, decapitated" 10 muttered to himself in a troubled tone, clutching his throat loosly and rubbing it, "Why does that_ bother _me so much?"

"10, she was brutally slaughtered, it wouldn't surprize me if you where bothered" 2 told him slightly offended at his disrespect

"Of course, it's a horrific way to go!" 10 barked back and then his voice became slurred again, "But it's something else, like I can see it reflected in the pit of my memories"

2's pupils shrunk in surprize, realizing what 10 was trying to remember. There was a clunk at the elevator that scattered both the elder's thoughts. 8 entered the room, wet and a little muddy from the rain. He had what looked like a black heap of soked fur slung over his back, but it was really a shadowy doll. 8 dropped the strange newcomer onto the floor. Sparks peered out from the crack in the wall and made a happy noise seeing his love interest but quickly his expression changed realizing that she was hurt and out cold.

"What is this?" 10 snapped standing up, the first time he made the reflex in days

"I found it outside walking in cricles in the rain. I thought it was a beast because of the noises it made" 8 explained in as much detail as he could muster, "But I saw it and it looked like one of us only, um, different"

As the leader and his gaurd spoke Tzarina's red eyes shuttered open. At first her vission was blurred but she saw the fimilar skinny, pale shape of her father-figure.

"Negative, thank you for - " The black doll jumped to all four of her feet and her dorsal fur stood up in fear, "You're not Negative!"

"Indeed I'm not" 10 spat distrustfully, "See, now here's another one! A being just like us but with the evil eyes of the machine!" He turned his head toward his fallowers

"Tzarina" 6 grinned at the black creature, "The Understanding, Dapple told me about you"

10 and Tzarina both gave 6 the same confused stare. 10 flicked his claw.

"2, 8, you take 6 to his room and stay there. I can handle this odd creature" 10 ordered

2, 8 and 6 exited the room leaving only the patriarch of the Sanctuary and the queen of Beasts.

"Now Beast, explain yourself. Are you not realated to the gray, red-eyed creature?" 10 asked

"Sparks? What have you done with him, you savage!" Tzarina lowered herself into a fighting position only to wince back when her spears wounds stung

"I beleive you are in no position to make threats" 10 smiled arrogantly, "Your friend is fine because he fallowed my rules and you will do the same until I get to the bottom of your origin"

"I will_ never _comply to the rules of you terrable Stitchpunks!" Tzarina barked stingingly

"Calm down, I assure you that I won't exploit you, I am perfection" 10 articulated stepping down from his throne, the movement caused the squeaker lodged in his chest to make a very unflatering "_squeeee_".

Tzarina nearly fell over with a cackling fit.

"Perfection? You? Ha! There is no such thing as perfection!" The black doll howled with a grin of fangs, "I see Nip and Tuk got to you, old one. You're hardly worthy of being a Cat Beast squeak toy let alone perfection itself! Negative told me Stitchpunks have_ very _small brains!"

"I'll admit, sometimes I have to believe you" 10 answered rolling his optics

"I beg your pardon?" Tzarina questioned immediatly ceasing laugher and looking at the Stitchpunk king with the slightest hint of reaspect

"I can't tell you how many times in a day I feel like I'm surrounded by utter morons" Groaned 10

"Oh, I agree" She said a little more softly, she smirked, "Well! Since Negative was created with your data, you can't be all bad"

"Who is this Negative?" Asked 10 in a more scolding tone

"If I told you that, I wouldn't be a very loyal little dolly now would I?" Tzarina's lip curled into a most unpleasent smile

"Very well, I allow you to stay in my Sanctuary to be healed" 10 added with a sneer, "I'll get an answer from you yet"

Sparks burst from the shadow, causing 10 to flinch at the new pair of red orbs. Sparks put his claws around the taller, black doll and looked at 10 with begging eyes.

10 nodded his head slowly and dropped back into his chair, "You can take her to your room and repair her back"

The next morning the white warrior was walking about in the west of Human-City. It had been nearly a week since she left her mate at the twins. 7 was still offended that she'd been compared to the cowardly 1. While she wondered the shambles with her bird skull pulled over her face, she'd given it a lot of thought. She realized she had one thing he did not; freedom. He was his own prisoner in the Sanctuary, but 7, as she saw it, was free to go where she wanted and do what she wanted.

Her thoughts faded off when she heard something knock a gray brick off a rubble mound. 7 pulled her spear out of its' holder and scanned the area for Beasts. She faced another direction seeing a black shape stride behind a stone wall. As she approached the Beast she picked up on a bass hum and metallic claws tapping along with the rythem. She spotted a lithe cat-like figure slide over the tops of the rubble. 7 swung her spear into a fighting position but the Beast slipped away behind another wall.

Soon enough she saw it reappear only about a meter away. Something about this Beast startled her: the simple fact that it had a Stitchpunk body. It was made from dark bown denuim, had a long tail it balanced with and its face was a metal, silver and black cat head with glinting orange eyes. On its' back were two safty pin priceings that held a sythe in place. The strange beast approached her and she noticed the "7" on its chest that had been slashed out.

"Hi baby" Came the smooth, bass voice of the Beast, "I see y'all are just like me; y'all just wanna be free, run from place to place, no worries 'bout anyone no one - sept yourself 'course"

7 was struck by how the strange cat-like creature knew exactly how she felt, or how she thought she felt. As the Beast turned its' head to laugh to itself she thought she could see something behind its' face.

"But you know, freedom don't come easy baby" The Beast reached behind it and in unsheathed its sythe, in turn 7 lifted her spear tensely, "Too bad you just stumbled into my part of this little ol' City!"

The brown creature swung his sythe foreword, 7 lept over the weapon and swung her spear at the Beasts head. The Beast ducked out of its' way and thust a leg out and threw 7 into the dust. He stood up, chuckling behind his expressionless face. 7 jumped up to her feet.

"You sure are a talkative Beast" 7 smirked behind her helmet, "And won't I be glad when I shut you up?"

"This cat ain't about to be told off by a little birdy, baby" The Beast retorted

She bolted foreword toward the Beast. The Beast backed off a few steps but 7 stopped short of him and jumped over him. Lifting her spear into the air and aimed for the neck. After she thrust down the spear slammed out of her grasp and she hit the dust again.

"Y'all gotta learn some new tricks" He said throwing her spear back to her

7 snatched her spear and replied jokingly;

"I didn't think that would work" She flung her spear into a timber pile hanging over the Beast, "That's why I lured you under there"

The Beasts' metal cat face thrust up as the wood crashed down toward him. The timber grazed his back as he ran away from it. A ploom of dust rose up from the impacting timber, out of the dust shot the cat-like Beast. He landed on a grand piano that was jutting out of a trash pile. 7 pulled her spear out as the Beast impacted the keys.

The white warrior jumped onto the keys of the piano. The Beast stood up, cracked his neck and held his sythe up.

"I don't know if you or your little machine friends noticed, but this place belongs to us now" 7 snarled, the notes of the piano booming lower as she walked toward the Beast

"Machines? Friends? Baby, you're a bit too quick to judge me. Didn't I tell you I was _free_?" Answered the Beast making the piano notes clang higher as he drew closer, "And the whole City is_ my _territory!"

7 let out a cry throwing her weapon into the Beast. He let out a yowl, jumping away, pulling the spear out of his arm. The Beast swung the sythe toward her but it only clanged into her spear. The bird and the cat pushed aganst the other with equal stength.

"So what I heard about the avian warrior is right, you fiesty little Beast-slyer you" He purred mockingly

"Oh? I havn't heard a thing about_ you_, little kitty" 7 threw back

"Some call me -7, some call me 'felidae', but by most I'm just 'the bleach-faced warrior'."

The pair pulled up and their weapons sparked as they slid apart. The bird and the cat steped one note away from the other.

"And what exactly_ did _you hear about me?" 7 questioned

"That you're a good fighter" Came the Beasts unexpected reply

7 swiped her spear at him. It made a thin slice on his chest before becoming lodged in the piano. The white warrior left her weapon and came at the Beast in a fury of punches. The Beast backed up to aviod being hit. He slammed his sythe down on her but her copper hands wrapped around it and she pushed it back up. The bird and the cat were at a stalemate once again.

"You fight pretty well for a woman" Commented the cat

"Really? I was thinking the same thing about _you_!" The bird sneered pushing his weapon back at him

"I was expecting you'd fight a little dirty" The Beast laughed

"Like what?" 7 replied in offense

The Beast dropped low and jumped into 7, his metal head crashing into her like a battering ram. She tumbled across the keyboard, stopping a few keys short of where her spear was stuck. The Beast landed atop her weapon.

"Kinda like that" He snickered

7 grumbled, she had enough playing with this odd-looking, smart-alacky machine! She burst onto her feet, swiped her spear from right under the Beasts feet. The Beast fell down onto the keys with a_ clang! _Almost immediatly he hopped right back up. 7 yelled as she used the rod of her spear to bat the Beast off the piano.

He lolled across the ground as the white warrior jumped down a sprinted after him. The Beast's back crashed into a big tire. His gleeming orange shuttered open. He let out a gasp when he saw the avian warrior over him, swinging her spear for his neck.

The cat head flew away and rolled across the dirt. 7's grin of victory dissappeared when she looked back at the Beast. It wasn't a Beast! She saw a fabric face looking back at her. It was a Stitchpunk! Her spear was stopped when it hit one of his optics. His face was eye-stingingly bright, like a splash of bleach. 7 pulled her spear away; the optic was bent and the yellow glass shattered so that now that eye was red, rather than orange. His white face was distorted in hate and shame.

"Y-you're one of us" She breathed

This was all she could utter before the bleach-faced warrior lept onto all four limbs. He ran past his silver cat mask and placed in back over his face. He bounded away over the shambles - to be prisoner to his City once again.

It was sun-high, 3 and 4 were left at the Muesum alone because 9 went off to look for 7 (and visit the Memorial). The twins were poking at a new patch of moss that was growing at the base of a step. The pair frooze when they heard hyena laugher creeping up from behind.

"Well look, if in' ain't those book-readin' shirmp!" Nip barked

"Yeah, wah' she say" Tuk replyed nodding her head

3 and 4 faced the pair of smiling, hooded bullies with scowls.

"What do _you _want?" 4 flashed

"You can't just wonder into our home like this" 3 clicked defensivly

"Yes-huh! We do what we wan't cuz we're bigga'!" Nip hollared puffing her hood out

"Ya! Touch!" Tuk squealed leaping up and tearing a twig off a nearby sapling

"You two are going to be in _so _much trouble when 9 comes back!" 4 flickered irritably

"_Ooooooo!_" They wooted mockingly

"Always do what daddy says?" Tuk giggled

"No!" 4 retorted without thinking

"Betcha do!" Nip barked in a sing-song tone

"No we don't!" 4's eyes lit furiously

"Daddy's girl! Daddy's girl!" They negative twins chanted dancing in a circle

"Yeah we listen to him, so what?" 3 clicked stepping up to the slightly bigger twins, "9 and 7 teach us to be good and smart. I bet your parents are going to be angry when they find out how bad you are"

"Parents? We don't got none!" Nip snorted, "Negative, he our leader, he just wants us ou' of his hood!"

"Yah, su we do wha' we wan' out hera!" Tuk added, "Oh! There's BleachFace, he's rearry nice to us, yah!"

"All right fine, BleachFace counts as our parent - but he ain't never around!" Nip reasponed cuffing her sister on the head

"Who's that?" 3 blinked tilting his hooded head

"BleachFace is -"

"Shut up, stoopid head!" Nip howled smacking her sisters' head again

Nearby a burlap creature rose his head at the howl. 9 assumed the animal noise was a machine or that strange black doll he'd encountered twice before. It must be after the twins! He clutched his light staff and sprinted closer.

"Don't hit her!" 4 flashed shoving Nip

"It okay, she hit me all time!" Tuk giggled in an almost friendly way

"No it's not okay. She can't just push you around" 3 flickered throwing a glare at the older sister

"I can hit her if I want to!" Nip snapped throwing a silver claw into both the twins' faces

9 watched the twins stumble to the ground after be smacked by a colorpointed doll. He realized it wasn't a monster he was dealing with and his grip on his staff loosened. He wasn't ready to let the two gray twins pick on 3 and 4.

"Hey!" 9 called briskly walking into the confrontation

"9!" 4 clicked raising her head

Nip and Tuk yelped and jumped a foot in the air. They'd been spotted! They ran in different directions to escape but their heads impacted with a_ clunk_! The sisters bumbled into the ground.

"3, 4, who are these two?" 9 asked standing over Nip and Tuk who proceeded to wail and whimper pathetically

3 and 4's eyes glimmered white as they acted out the bullying they'd experanced the past week. 9 watched intently. Nip and Tuk continued to sob.

"So you weren't lieing. I'm so sorry I punished you" 9 reasponed nodding his head sympathetically, he looked back down at the gray sisters sternly, "And you girls have some explaining to do!"

"9! I just fought with a strange creature!" Called the white doll sprinting over to her mate, "It looked just like us but it had a Beast's head put over its own real one. It had a bleached face" 7's ramble suddenly halted when she spotted the two sisters, "What are those?"

"3 and 4 have been telling the truth the whole time, they have been being framed the whole week; and there are the two that were doing it"

"What?" 7 gasped realizing she'd been faslely acussing her best friends, she thrust her foot down and held Nip and Tuk under her, "You sniviling cowards!"

"7, calm down, they're just kids" 9 told her

"I want an explaination from you two right now! Who's in charge of you little monsters? I'd like to give them a peice of my mind!" 7 shouted into the whining sisters' faces

7 was met with no answer, just uninteligable whimpering and nervious giggling that sounded like it should have come out of a hyena. 7 realized she wasn't going to get an understandable answer out of them, this only made her more angry.

"Use words, you drooling Beasts!" 7 snapped

A highly unfitting squeak broke through the scolding. Small grins appeared on Nip and Tuk's dirty faces. The bullies broke out into hysteical cackling, immitating the embaricing squeak several times to each other. 7's was too confused to have kept a strong enough hold on the sisters so they broke free.

The sisters bounded away continuing the mock the squeaker. 9 was the first to bolt after them, fallowed by a very dumbfounded 7, 3 and 4. 9 saw the two leap over a pile of rubble and the squeaker cryed out its' high-pitched scream again. The burlap doll's head came over the hill just in time to witness Tuk jump off the belly of a pale doll. A huge light twany doll lundged for the sisters but they ran off into the Emptiness. The squeaker inhailed with another annoying "_squeee_" as the pale doll pushed himself to his feet with a cry of;

"Foolish tricksters, come back!"

"1!" 9 called as a big smile crept across his face, "8!"

The white-clad doll shifted around and couldn't help to smile himself at the sight of the old friend, although he half dreaded the sight of the youngest Stitchpunk. 7 and the twins rose up from beind the ruin hill let out a gasp (or flicker) of surprize. The twins were the first to run down and greet them, dispite that the elder and his guard had been unpleasant to them in the past. 8 thundered toward the twins hollaring a happy, untranslatable, sentance. The twins were soon squished in two massive arms and lifted off the ground and shaken lovingly. 7 and 9 grinned at each other and ran down the hill toward 10.

"Oh no" was all 10 could utter before he was embraced by the mates

"I can't believe how much I missed you, you grumpy old sausage!" 7 commented after realesing him

"1, I knew you had to be alive when I couldn't sence you at the Memorial" 9 said letting to of the elder and giving him some space

"My name is - guh -" He huffed as the twins ran into and hugged him, "My name is 10 now"

"I see you got some nice duds to go with the new name" 7 said with a not-so-good-natured smirk

9 looked at 10's attire with a troubled face, it was nearly the same as his old outfit. 10's head looked into the Emptiness.

"They got away" 10 grumbled begrudgingly

"Huh? Oh, forget them" 7 waved a hand in the direction Nip and Tuk ran in, her eyes stared low, "Woah, nice claw"

"Thank you" 10 answered with a smirk flexing his golden hand

"How did you get back in your body?" 9 questioned

"I'll be happy to explain back at the Sanctuary"

"The Sanctuary?" 9 asked throwing a glance at 7 whos smile had faded

"Yes, my prized home is left standing. You'll find the others residing there as well" 10 spoke with the same sly smile he'd given 9 the first time he entered the massive cathedral, "You're always welcome to stay"

9 paused, he looked at 7 and the twins who also were unsure about heading back to the unsafe prison of the Sanctuary. 9 couldn't turn down 10's offer, it was the only way he could see 5 and the others. 10 watched with the same grin as 9 answered.

"All right, we'll stay until we find out what's going on"

The sun had started to set and 9 and his company had long since been reunited with their once departed friends. While the happy exchange went on they didn't know they had been watched by a bitter black hybird. The golden light beams coming from the windows in Tzarina's room grew long as the sun fell. The black doll saw the Sanctuary as a cage she was forced into. She paced from one end to the room to the other, angrily making low rumbles and growls.

A gray creature entered to room meekly. Sparks was aware she was in one of her moods and didn't speak a peep until she noticed him.

"Sparks, I won't allow these savages to keep us caged any longer" She huffed athoritavly, as she approached him, "As soon as dark comes, we'll escape with the Stitchpunk called 2 and go back to the Factory where we belong!"

"You forget, Tzarina, that I was exiled from the Factory" Sparks said in a serious tone, his wires lit up the dulling room, " -_ Age of the Machine! _-"

"Negative's orderes?" She asked lifting a crimson stitched brow

"Yes"

"Negative and I are close, I'll convince him to lift the punishment" Tzarina said in a much less stinging voice

"Um, thanks, but no thanks" Sparks whimpered putting a black claw behind his head

"What?" She breathed in a way much less angry, more dissapointed

"I like it here. The Stitchpunks aren't - _stuffed crust! _- savages at all, really. I don't know how Negative ever came up with that idea but-"

"No! All Stitchpunks are bad! You are being corrupted already, my poor, dear friend" Tzarina said putting a big paw on his cheek careingly, "You must go with me tonight"

"Sorry Tzarina. But I'd like to call these guys my friends now too" Sparks said, "It might be a little bit weird for us at first, but if we get used to it, we're happy"

"What a cute thought, cute but ignorant. But if that's what you want, then I won't try to stop you" Tzarina bit back the urdge to roar at him in rage, but there was this odd aura around the glitchy, gray doll that forbid her from bringing harm to him, "But I'm going back where I belong"

The room became blue as the sun dissapeared. Tzarina backed out of the room and into a hallway in the Sanctuary. She turned her maned head back at meek Sparks.

"So we have to be seperated again" Sparks whispered, Tzarina bounded down the hallway leaving him all alone, "Maybe it isn't ment to be" He whimpered letting his head drop to his chest

Tzarina let her pace slow, hearing footfall from further down the hall. She walked toward it and saw 2, all alone, at an interection between two rooms._ This is too easy!_

"Ah, hello" 2 chripped diplomatically

Tzarina let out a sick, happy hiss as she pulled back to pounce. Her claws jumped back into her fingers as she saw a large group of what she was convinced was her enemy join the old Stitchpunk. Her jaw parted and she let herself shrink away from her attacking position as 10, 3, 4, 7 and 9 were staring her down.

"Tzarina" 9 spoke first

"You're not in your room!" 10 added swiftly

"What's that Beast doing here?" 7 snarled

"8 found her hurt and we're keeping her here until we find out where she came from" 10 explained

"What are you doing out here?" 2 asked

"Nothing" She spat in defeat, there were far too many Stitchpunks for her to take down, "I'm going back to my room"

With that Tzarina stalked back into the dark of the Sanctuary. She may have lost this battle but she was deturmind to win the war. At the next opportunity she'll take 2 away!

Nighttime made no differance in the bussiness of the Factory. The machine minions still scittered around, the majority of them on patrols. The great Fabricator himself was alone in his chamber, save his appointed representative, Negative. Negative tended to stay in his own room whenever he could but he simply could not resist when his creator called him. The white doll knew exactly why he was summoned, he'd been avioding the matter for a long time and the Fabrication machine finally noticed.

"-1" Rumbled the Machine's mechanical voice

"Y-yes, master" Negative squeaked as he trembled and clutched his tail

"-5, -6 and -9 have been absent for the past few days" The hulking metal beast pulled in closer to Negative, "Where are they?"

"Within the vacinity, I assure you" He replyed

"No -1, where are they? You have been avioding this simple question every time I asked you. You know where they are, I demand you tell me!" The Fabricator boomed

Negative shunk away and swallowed hard before answering in a thin breath;

"Missing, master"

"What?"

"I mean - Sparks was exiled, Dapple is dead and Tzarina is missing" Negative corrected

"Dead? Impossable, machines don't die - where is it? It must be repaired" The Fabricator grumbled

"I assure you, I don't think there will be bringing her back" He clutched the throat implictitivly

"-6 was under your protection! I trusted you. Now I want you to tell me exactly how it was killed!" Bright white sparks flew from the Machine's head

"She wonders, you know that master. I-I don't know how she died" He answered knowing he would be destoryed if his master knew it was he who ordered the killing, "Likely Stitchpunk 9 killed her"

The Fabricator let out a vengefull screech and slammed an arm into a barrel of oil. The barrel groaned in half and was flung clear across the room. Negative was thankful _he_ wasn't at the reciving end of that blow.

"What about the other two?" The Fabricator demanded

"Sparks was suspected of treason so I exiled him. Tzarina just dissapeared, that's all I know, I assure-"

"Imbecile! Your assurance means nothing to me any more, -1. You failed me. I knew you were a waste of my time" Interupted the great Fabricator's raging voice as he rose up a hand

"Please! Master! No!" Negative pathetically covered his face with his claws and curled into a ball, "I only want to please you, but I cannot match your perfection. I did my best! Don't dispose of me"

The Fabricator lowered his arm at his creation's rediculous pleading. The little fool showing his ultimate weakness to him pleased him. This didn't hide the fact that he'd lost his trust in Negative.

"You know I could snap your puny spine with a single claw, -1. Oh yes, I _should_ kill you! The energy I used to bring you to life would be put back into good use! But I will not. No. I still need you"

"Oh thank you. Mirciful, mirciful Machine! Oh praise the great Machine for he'd spared my life. Magestic, beautiful, loving Machine!" Negative gushed groveling under the Fabricator

"Enough, get on your feet, you bone-bag!"

"As you command, master"

"I want all of your kin back. Gather them all, I'll repair the ones that need it" The Fabricator snarled turning back to his work, "-9 in particular, once it's back in the Factory it will take over for you"

"What will happen to me once she's leader?" Negative choked nerviously

"You will become a part of me again"

"No!" Negative cried knowing that ment his certain demise, "I don't want to die! I'll do anything, please don't kill me! M-master!"

The Fabricator turned, if he had a mouth it would have been curled into a smirk. He was aware Negative didn't mean half of the goveling he bumbled though his fangs, but he enjoyed the power he had over him. It reminded him of his time when he was exerminating the human race. Ultimate power was so sweet to the Machine. He didn't recognize that the "love" Negative spoke to him sparked memories of the Toy Maker and the love he was deprived of when he was seperated from him. The Fabricator used his first hybird as a tool for the love he was never shown, without him even realizing.

"_I assure you_, -1, I won't" The Fabricator thundered, "Just lie down on your puny, little back, show me your soft, pathetic belly and tell me how powerful I am"

_Characters (In order of apperance/mentioning)_

***~* Stitchpunks *~***

9 . . . To Save Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from burlap, hands and feet molded from copper. Body held shut by a brass zipper. Normal height. Most advanced and refined of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - Perviously defeated the Machine, now lives in peace with the other three surviving of his family, 3, 4 and 7. After enountering Tzarina, is deturmind to discover where she came from.

10 . . . To Perfect Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from canvas, steel claws, poorly constructed. Held shut with two belt straps. Of average heigtht and skinny figure. The firstborn of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - Once the protective self-proclaimed leader of the Stitchpunk, lost his influance quickly once 9 appeared. Upon realizing he was no longer a use to the group, killed himself to save 9. Changed his name to 10, a number recognized as a symbol of perfection, to mark his second term and Stitchpunk leader. Had a squeaker lodged in his chest that he's often humiliated by. Losing his grip on reality.

2 . . . To Inspire Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from a mix of burlap, canvas and leather put together in patches, bronze hands and worn wood feet. Held shut with a shoelace. Weakest and shortest of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - An elder and kindy inventor and medic. Killed in part by 1's intention and a mistake of 9's. Other than 9, the only one that seems to understand 6. Knows something about "Zero".

5 . . . To Guide Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from pale burlap with a leather eyepatch, copper hands. Held shut with two bronze buttons. Smaller than average.

Details - Reluctant student of 2's and map-maker. Killed by the Fabrication Machine. Distrusts 10, knowing his intentions in 2's murder perviously. Veiws 9 as a superior leader to 10.

8 . . . To Gaurd Us

Number Placement - Shoulder

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - New skin is a brownish-tawny fabric, steel-and-copper hands and feet. Large and bulky. Held together with two clips.

Details - A devoted fallower of 1. Killed by the Fabrication Machine.

7 . . . To Defend Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Bleached canvas-like fabric skin, copper hands and feet, held shut with a blue-green button. Smaller and more nimble than the majority of the others. Large scar on back from a battle with the Cat Beast many years ago. Hates 1 for reasons not fully understood.

Details - Perviously a loner and Beast-slayer, after the defeat of the Fabrication Machine now lives with 9, her apparent mate, and 3 and 4. Still retains her independant nature. Dispises 10.

3 . . . To Teach Us

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Broader face, larger and hands and taller than 4.

Details - Child-like and twin of 4. More curious, outgoing and more easily hurt than his sister.

4 . . . To Define Us

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Smaller mouth, hands and slightly shorter than 3.

Details - Child-like and twin of 3. More cautious, rational and more shy than her brother.

0 . . . To Remember Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - N/A

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from think white silk wit ha few stray scraps and threads hanging off her. Thin aluminum hands. Big sightless eyes. Extremely weak.

Details - Playfull but sickly Stitchpunk. No one is sure weither she existed or is a figment of 10's imagination. Blind. Her favorite sense is touch, loves meeting new people and always wants to play.

***~* The Machines *~***

Ant Driods

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male

Anatomy - Several legs and many red eyes attatched to a single black section of its body. Slightly larger than a Stitchpunk.

Details - Created by the Machine, a quick-moving minor machine used primarily to stand look-out for the Machine or collect parts for him.

The Fabrication Machine

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Massive machine with two body sections with many arms and tools attatched, one massive processor for a head with a red eye, apposable tail attached him to his Factory.

Details - His processor was built by the creator of the Stitchpunk and his massive body added on so her may create war-machines. The cause of the exermination of life. Killed by 9. Created Stitchpunk beings of his own to eliminate the original nine, however his main motivation is something unknown. Rules Negative and in turn, the rest of the hybirds, with fear and intimidation.

The Skouts

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male

Anatomy - Rat skull head, raptor-like body with springs in legs. Long whiplash tail. Highly aposable fingers. Stitchpunk-sized. Fairly inteligent and programed with pack mentality. Shakes victems until dead.

Details - Created by the Machine. Fast, nimble but very fragile. Used to collect items and patrol boarders.

The Cat Beast

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Long monkey-like legs, cat skull head with one lightbulb eye to see at night and spiked back. Two-and-a-half Stitchpunk heights.

Details - Created by the Machine. Nimble and powerful but uninteligent. Enjoys toying with her pray. Killed by 7 but salvaged by the Machine.

The Cackle Beast

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - All Male accept the Matriarch

Anatomy - Six extremely long legs with fingers of variable sizes. Hump-backed bady with a spotted hyena skin draped over it. Possium skull head with rubber ears. Fishing hook at end of tail. Almost two Stitchpunk heights.

Details - Created by the Machine. Similar programming as Cat Beast. Usually in packs with a ruling Matriarch.

***~* Machine-Stitchpunk Hybrids *~***

Negative (-1) . . . The Innocent

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - White leather skin, frail steel claws, bone tail with stinger, needle fangs. Held shut with two buckles in an "X" across the chest. Red slitted eyes. Shorter and scrawnier than 1.

Details - Created by the Machine to be the leader of the others of his kin. Skittish and very weak but self-loving and irritable. Worships the Machine like a god, fallowing him blindly, however often regreats the bad things he's been forced to do. The only hybird to speak directly to the Machine.

Tzarina (-9) . . . The Understanding

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from a black purse with fur trim. Fur runs down head like a mane, over chest and down back going into a long tail. Zipper runs down the back of her head. Heavy paws with razor blade retractable claws. Red eyes and soild silver fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as a soilder and heir to Negative if he should die. Deeply reaspects elders for their apparent "wisom". Hostile and pig-headed but cannot fight the almost motherly side inside her. Heavy claws make her attacks ineffective on foes that are too fast to be hit. Holds romantic feelings for Sparks that she doesn't comprehend.

Sparks (-5) . . . The Healer

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Majorly a tough gray fabric with patches and stitches. Many stitches along his face and a "Y" insision on his chest. Black metal claws and a white electrical plug for a tail. Shorter than Tzarina and skinny. Red eyes. Exploded patches of wires stitcking out of a wound in his head.

Details - Created by the Machine to recharge himself and bring machines to life. Sparks is submissive and jumpy. He tries to please everyone and tends to be friendly to those who show kindness to him. The wires often glitch causing Sparks to convulse and scream something from his memories - usually something unuseful. Wants to be in a realationship with Tzarina.

Cicatrix (-2) . . . The Strong

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Dirty pale burlap skin covered in several patches and stitches. Smallest of all the hybirds and Stitchpunk. Plump. Four heavy arms modled after the Machines', two other apendages sticking from shoulders for welding. No tail, wire-cutter teeth.

Details - Created by the Machine soley for laybor. Able to lift things three-times his weight but his health is fading fast. Peacefull and fasinated by nature. Mauled by Slasher and lost his voice, his current fate is unknown.

Slasher (-8) . . . The Loyal

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from a red pin cusion. Has stripes of black tar drawn on him. Rows a neddles rising form head, back, shoulders and jaws. Tall and skinny. Medical needle tail, red eyes and huge needle fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as an enforcer of Negative. Dense and misguided by Negative. Enjoys tormenting the "lower" dolls, being Cicatrix, Sparks, Dapple, Nip and Tuk.

Dapple (-6) . . . The Seeing

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from a wool black-and-blue striped sweater. Patch of white fur on head as hair. Frail hooks for fingers. Long tail with the head of a paintbrush at the end.

Details - Created by the Machine to design beasts. Speaks in a slow soft voice. Loves all of her kin, even Negative and Slasher who abuse her. Has dreams for a "family". Takes punishment without fighting back, even if she's undeserving. Ordered to death by Negative and killed by Slasher.

BleachFace (-7) . . . The Independant

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - None

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Tall, lithe and dark brown with a long tail that is tipped with white. Tall collar around neck and swift copper claws. Face is stained with bleach. Wheres a dark metal cat-like mask to hide his face. Red eyes with yellow stained glass, making them appear orange.

Details - Ran away from the rest of the hybrids for an unknown reason. Calls Human-City, "the City" and claims that it all belongs to him. Navigates ruins with ease and enjoys picking fights and playing mind games. Has a strong sence if independance.

Nip (-3) . . . The Loving

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Head and body made from gray denium, arms and legs made from the same material. Green camo cape and hood, bright orange inside. Black and silver claws. Pocket swen into belly. Boarder face and more heavyset than Tuk. Red eyes. No tail, small fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as a worker. Enjoys picking on anything smaller or apparently weaker than herself. Loves the company of her sister but dosn't realize it until she's alone. The leader of the sisters.

Tuk (-4) . . . The Careing

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Head and body made from gray demium, arms and legs made from same material. Turquoise camo cape and good, bright orange inside. Black and silver claws. Pocket sewn onto belly. Skinner than Nip and has unfocused eyes as a result of being beaned on the head too much by her sister. Red eyes. No tail, small fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as a worker. Enjoys fallowing Nip around. More friendly than her sister but still enjoys her wicked ways. A little slower because of being hit on the head too much. More submissive than Nip.

***~* Others *~***

The Toy Maker

A scientest and ex-toy maker hired by the State to create the Machine. The Machine was taken away from the Toy Maker before he was able to complete testing on it. Only after the Machine went mad with power did he create the nine Stitchpunk creatures to continue life on the dead Earth. Died after bring 9 to life.


	5. Part IV: Torment from the Past

**Author's Notes: **The fourth part of Being One Of Us and the big reveal about what exactly Zero is! Also in this part 10 delves deep into his self-lotheing. And again, I use statire to express the veiws of the "1-haters". 10 and Tzarina's realationship is established, and this will grow to become very important in the future. We get to met a few of those lovable Beasts has guarding his fortress. We see 9 already making himself a leader. Part five will feature a battle!

**Part IV: Torment from the Past**

_ The burlap savor found himself the the browns and whites of the Workshop. He quickly realized he was in the dream world when he noticed the fuzzy shape of the Toy Maker in the distance. He paced in a very troubled way, almost like his was searching for something. The human spoke, but his language was muffled and turned into a moan by the distortion in the dream. 9 noticed there were no Stitchpunk in the room. That must have been what he lost! Almost at the instanst he remembered Zero, she appeared before him._

_"Zero, what happened to you?" 9 asked, "You knew 1, he's never told me about you - but you and him were close, weren't you?"_

_"Like father and daughter" Zero answered, but something was strange, she lost all her charming energy and she sounded just as deathly as she looked_

_"I think I can feel it - that love. For some reason I feel to you like I how feel to 3 and 4, like I need to protect you," 9 thought out loud, "But with far more freice intensity. I'm feeling fear for your safety, and myself too"_

_"You're experancing what 1's forgotten" The sick child's voice said, "You are feeling exactly what he felt. You're inside him. But something's went wrong with what I'm trying to give him in his dreams"_

_"So you do exist," 9 said taking a cautious step toward the girl, "But not like me. Like how 5 and the others existed at the Memorial."_

_"Yes, but something wicked is stirring the spirits," Zero answered, some of her brightness coming back to tiny white body, "He's seeing and feeling exactly how he did in his memories, but all he wants when he's awake is to dream and see me. He's making himself sick, 9."_

_"2 said he hardly moves anymore."_

_"This isn't what I wanted!" Zero sobbed putting her small arms around 9's torso, "I just wanted him to remember me, but he's becoming trapped!"_

_"It's okay," 9 tried to comfort the prototype Stitchpunk by putting a copper hand on her head_

_"Don't let him be trapped in my memory! Don't be trapped!" She begged while the dream started to fade and bend_

_"Zero, wait! Are you dead? Why can't he remember?" 9 felt her body start to_

_materialize, he deperately clawed at her smokey remains, "Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero!"_

"9! 9! Get up! It's okay!" 2's voice boomed through the dream world

9 opened his optics to see 2 frimly clutching his shoulders. 2's face remained concerned for a few moments, then it softened upon realizing he woke up. 9 leaned up in the bed of scrap fabric holding his forehead.

"Zero?" 2 asked, his voice shaking, "How do you know about Zero?"

"She _did_ exist, didn't she?" 9 exclaimed

"Yes, but you aren't supposed to know about her. Before this whole problem with the dreams, I was the only one who knew," 2 said, "1 loved her so much, just like a father would. I loved her too, but 1 was so protective of her. He scarcely let me close."

"What happened to her?" 9 asked

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"What did she tell you in your dream?" 2 swiftly changed the subject

"She told me that all 1 wanted to do was stay in the dream world with her, and don't let him be trapped in it." 9 said

"No." 2 rasped pushing himself off the bed, "She's giving us a warning, an urgant warning. 1's gotten too attached to his dream world. He could be sucked in perminently!"

9 pushed himself up, realizing 2 was dead serious with what he was saying. 2 limped toward the door leading a hall.

"You need to warn him," 2 said

9 fallowed 2 down the hall that lead to the bucket elivator when the pair halted suddenly. They nearly ran into 10, who was pacing the halls aimlessly.

"What are you two doing out of bed?" 10 demanded

"1!" 9 said clutching the elder's shoulders

"That's not my name!" 10 crowed

"Yes it is. You'll _always_ be 1," 2 told him trying to put a comforting hand on 10's boney back

"Yes, I'll always be 1. The frist Stitchpunk born," 10 breathed lowering his head to his chest

"That's it, enough with this '10' nonsence. I want good old 1 back," 2 smiled

"Yes, 1. 1, the most flawed of all Stitchpunk! 1, barer of all evil human traits! 1, the fascist monster! 1, the lonely! 1, the murder! 1, the hated!" Hollared 10 as he started to claw at his own body, "No! I don't want to be 1! Nobody ever loved 1, I didn't deserve it. Who would ever want a beast as ruthless as I was?"

2 took a few steps away as the leader worked himself up. 9 approached him.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You can't change who you are," 9 stiffened, longing to take back that final statement

"What do you wan't?" 10 snapped shaking his head in denial

"I want to warn you. About Zero -"

10's optics opened fully. He poised himself agressivly.

"How do you know about her?"

"That's not important. You need to stop clinging to your dreams, or you're going to be sucked into them."

"No! It's a far more joyfull place in my dreams, rather than this dismal reality. Zero was the only one who ever loved me!"

"And where's Zero now, 1?" 2 questioned, "She's not here, you can't live in the past."

"I can! I shall! I'm going to sleep," He snapped turning toward the elivator

"Stop! You'll be consumed!" 9 begged

10 only scoffed and cranked the elivator up to his bedroom. 9 watched him dissapear up into the dark tower, just like he'd dissapear into his memories if he didn't do something.

"He's gone," 9 told 2

"You can still save him," 2 said, "If Zero was able to contact you through sleep tonight, she can still contact you from the dream world again. Her spirit can't be in two places at once. If you hurry and go to sleep, you and 10 will be in the same dream. That's when you can save him."

2 let his chipper nature shine through the dire moment. He laughed to himself and jibed:

"Just don't stress too much that you can't sleep"

_9 was atop the wooden table in the workshop again. The Toy Maker wasn't there, nor was Zero. 9 started to become concerned. Had 1 already been consumed by his own memories? 9 couldn't bare to think he'd failed to save a friend again._

_"9! Has my own fanstasy world foresaken me as well?" Crowed an aged voice_

_ 9 turned himself toward 1, who lacked all his clothing and seemed just as he had the day of his creation. 1 pointed an accusing claw at him. _

_"This was once a place of escape for me, the only place of happiness and safty I could run too. And yet you think you are permited to ruin this for me too?"_

_"I don't want to ruin anything for you," 9 said stepping up to him, "I want to help you. Zero spoke to me. She told me herself. Please, don't get yourself lost in here. You're needed in the real world."_

_"The real world doesn't need me! Zero needs me here," 1 insisted_

_"This isn't real, 1! Zero is gone!" 9 shouted grabbing 1 by the sholders_

_"I don't care!" 1 swiped at the other with a claw, but 9 pulled away before he was cut, "This is real enough for me!"_

_"1 . . . " Called a thin childish voice_

_ 1 smirked and twisted around to face Zero. She stood on the other end of the table, the end close to the closed window. 9 felt something sinister about the white Stitchpunk, as if it wasn't Zero herself but only a hallow body._

_"Zero," 1 answered with a hauntingly happy smile, he took a few steps toward her_

_"1," Called her empty voice again_

_ The canvas Stitchpunk continued to draw closer. 9 couldn't help but to stare._

_"1, play with me. Play with me,"_

_"No, 1," 9 whispered, but the elder ignored_

_"You'll stay with me forever, right?"_

_"No!" 9 yelled yanking at 1's arm, "That's not Zero!"_

_"No, 9! You have no idea what it feels like to be hated! Why would I go back there?" 1 roared while struggling with the burlap doll_

_"Because we love you. We need you!"_

_"No you don't! You hate me, and I'm worthless! Don't try to fool yourself," The elder managed to drag 9 a step foreword_

_"_You're_ fooling yourself! Don't do this!"_

_"Stay with me," Called the distorted voice of Zero_

_"Yes! I'll stay with you!" 1 cried breaking free, "Forever!"_

_ An echo of his voice boomed and resonated throughout the dream._

_"FOREVER!"_

_ 1 flinched. The window behind Zero slammed open, the shutters hitting her and her form dissapeared into a white smoke. Behind the window was a swirling mass of white, like the funnel of a twister. The setting was almost gone and all that was, was the white abyss. 1 stood trembling at the sight as the white turned into a black hole that started to swallow up the objects in the Workshop._

_ The elder was knocked off his feet by the pull. He let out a shrill squeak for help and felt something grip his wrist. It was 9. The savor clutched 1's wrist as he held on to the edge of the table._

_"Don't let me go," 1 begged, his eyes huge with fear_

_"I won't! Don't be sucked in!" 9 yelled_

_"Where's Zero?" He stuttered_

_"She's gone!"_

_"No!" 1 felt himself slip_

_"Yes she is! You have to accept that!"_

_"But I loved her."_

_"I know, but you have to let it go."_

_ 1 looked down into the hungry black hole he created. That monster wasn't Zero. It never will be. He'd made a mistake wanting to stay in the past. He turned back up at 9 who was struggling to pull him back. But there was nothing _9 _could do._

_"No, Zero! I don't want to stay with you!" 1 screamed into the pit, "I must live in the present, without you!"_

_ And the two Stitchpunk were suddenly free from the sucking black abyss. They were thrown back onto the table of the Workshop. The dream ended._

2 heard a frim knock at the door of his sleeping den. He glanced over to the window to find that the sky was starting to change color, but the sun wasn't up yet. 2 stood up, popped a few bones in his back, and opened the door

10 was on the other side. He wasn't wareing his costume. He hadn't even bothered to get dressed when he woke up.

"You know what this is about," 10 spoke first with slight hostility, "I must know what happened to Zero."

"It's about time I told you," 2 sighed, then limped ahead of the Stitchpunk elder toward the exit of the Sanctuary, "I'd made a mistake not telling you what happened. I apologize for putting you through Hell and back trying to keep it a secrect."

The Emptiness slept. Not even the smallest Beast stirred. The only movement was the pair of old rag dolls and the sun that slowly made itself vissable. 10's head lagged at the building as they passed the Workshop. The place of his brith made him believe for a short moment that perhaps his friend still lived, but he knew that couldn't be true. 2 halted at a large, dusky clearing a few Stitchpunk-lengths away from the Workshop's block. 10 looked around the area. It was covered in dust. He felt a somewhat oppressive feeling in the area.

"I know you hate people poking around in your gears, 1," 2 started, half-expecting 10 to correct him on his name, but the canvas Stitchpunk did not, "But it must be done to spark your memories, to bring them back where you can see them."

10 sat down, somewhat submissivly, on a brass bullet casing. 2 walked behind him and carefully untied the extra tuft of canvas at the top of his head. The old inventor pushed the fabric off just enough so that the skull was exposed. 10 cringed, feeling the cap of his skull lifted. He hated gore, even if he didn't see it. Luckily 2 was experianced enough so that he felt no pain. During this, 2 spoke in a calm tone.

"Yes, Zero indeed existed. Though her tragic life was very short," 2 told his old friend, "Most of us were created in a little less than a week; The Toy Maker only spent a day on Zero. She was a quick test, a prototype without a soul."

"No soul? That makes her a machine!" 10 jolted, almost causing 2 to touch her inner-mechanics, "A Beast! But why was she not evil, like the Fabrication Machine?"

"Zero didn't have a motive to hurt anyone. Zero was innocent," 2 answered cautiously putting his hands closer to 10's head

"Where is she?" 10 rasped at length

"Oh 1, I think it would be easier if you saw it for youself."

2 crossed a white wire in 10's head. It sparked for a split second and 10's eyes shut. 10 sat limply. Behind his closed shutters played a long-forgotten memory.

_"Comon 1, wake up!" Came Zero's squeak, along with a bat to the face_

_ 1's eyes opened slowly. His attachment to Zero seemed to dissapear when she awoke him from naps. He snarled and pushed himself so he sat on his rump._

_"What?"_

_"Comon, let's go!" She begged tugging on one of his belt straps_

_"Go where, what is it? I thought you were going to let me get a decent nap today," 1 said sleepily_

_"Zero wants to go outside," 2 answered stepping beside the child_

_"O-outside?" 1 swallowed hard, "Outside to that endless expance of choas, fire and noise? The humans are all up in a fury about something, running about, attacking one another with their fire-and-metal sticks! Something tiny and weak as us out there? No! I forbid it! You can go out and get yourself killed, but Zero is staying with me"_

_"Not everything in the world is out to get you, 1," 2 said, "The humans are atleast five blocks away. Zero and I just want to take a quick look around."_

_"Please 1, pleeeease!" Zero begged rubbing her head on his chest, "I promice to let you nap after. Just a few minuets! Please with sugar on top?"_

_"I'm not about to leave you alone, but there's no detouring _either _of you once you want to do something," 1 huffed standing on his feet, "Very well. Does the Toy Maker know?"_

_"Sometimes it's better to beg for forgiveness than ask permission," 2 reasponed_

_"2, you provide me with so many unnessisary migranes and ulcers," 1 moaned rubbing his brow with his claws_

_ The trio of Stitchpunk squeezed themselves out of a tiny mousehole and the base of the Workshop. 1 was having the most troubling getting through, being the biggest. He was still struggling to make his way out when 2, fallowed by Zero, trotted out into the vacant street._

_"Isn't it beautifull?" 2 said_

_ 1 popped himself out of the hole and took a place in-between the two. He moved his gaze around. The buildings were crumbling with bullet holes. The road was well-trodden with dirty shoes. On a few walls were large red flags, all of them crossed with spray paint with "RESIST" written on them. The sent of carrion lingered._

_"I don't like it here. It's frightening. We should go back in!" 1 wailed turning around_

_ But Zero and 2 only ventured deeper into the human world. 1 fallowed skittishly, scraping his claws aganst eachother._

_"Don't be such a baby," 2 told him limping up the street, uncomfortably close to were the humans noises were coming from, "Where's your sence of adventure?"_

_"There's a difference between adventure and pure stupidity!" 1 retorted noticed that 2, with Zero holding his claw, had walked into a dusky clearing in the street_

_"Look at this" 2 exclaimed picking up a brass bullet casing_

_ Zero let her tiny hands graze the object as 2 observed it._

_"That's quite enough!" 1 snapped after glancing back at the Workshop slightly over a block away, he scrambled up to them, "Enough 'adventuring'. We leave right now!"_

_"Aw, comon. You're no fu-"_

_ Zero's whine was cut off by human shreiks echoing from the street ahead. The trio of Stitchpunk flung their heads up and saw a paniced stampede of humans thundering right toward them. While the other two flead, 1 found himself frozen in the middle of the street, trembling slightly as he watched the mass of feet and dust close in on them. He turned, half-scrambling in the dirt for a moment, and fled after 2 and Zero._

_ 1 quickly made his way to the front of the dolls, being the fastest. 2 wasn't too far behind him. Zero had no sence of direction and just knew to stay ahead of the thunder behind her. She tried to grab onto someone ahead of her, but 1 and 2 were too far up the street. The crushing human feet drew closer to the dolls._

_"We need to get out of the street!" 2 yelled_

_ Zero felt her body impact the ground. She lie still as the ground started to trembling under the oblivious mob of humans._

_"That house, hide under those stairs!" 2 hollared, he and 1 made a sharp turn for the house_

_ Zero pushed herself up but flopped onto the street again. She felt something stinging on her back. She tried to get up again but something tugged the fabric on her back. She felt a sharp nail had impailed her skin. The stampede was rushing nearer. It was nearly deafening._

_"1!" Zero shreiked in terror_

_ 1 swiftly turned toward the cry. Zero was trapped on the ground. He saw the black mass of humans within meters of her, like a massive thunderhead of noise and dust. He turned so sharply his feet scraped marks in the stone street._

_"Zero!" He howled, but the storm of humans blew over her_

_ 1 froze, the line of humans forbiding him to draw closer. His eyes scanned the blurr of legs for Zero's white body, but all he saw was the black dust. 2 noticed his friend was no longer fallowing and saw the canvas Stitchpunk frozen as the mob of humans passed within inches of him._

_ The humans passed, and 1 saw a lump of white, turned grey by the dust covering it. He sprinted toward it. A broken white doll lie in the center of the street. Her back was snapped and she was decapited. He let out a wordless cry and collapsed to his knees by Zero. He put a claw under her chin and whispered for her to get up, but her trampled body did not reaspond. She was clearly dead, but 1 didn't see that yet. He attempted desperatly to wake her up._

_"1! Look out!" 2 screamed trying fruitlessly to reach him_

_ 1 flung his head up and saw a few human stragglers running at him. He didn't flinch when they boomed close. There was a crunch as the pale doll was caught on the front of a human foot. 2 watched the elder loll across the street. 1's head slamed into a car tire. 2, knowing there was no help for Zero, rushed immediatly to 1. _

_ 2 dragged the Stitchpunk up the stairs of the Workshop. A thin trail of oil leaked from 1's head. The Toy Maker, who had put down the twin dolls he'd given life just seconds eariler, turned sharply after hearing a thud at the door._

_ 2 had collapsed in exgaustion. He lied beside 1, his chest rising and falling rapidly. As the Toy Maker rushed to his creations, he noticed one was missing._

_"We just wanted to see what was outside," 2 wheezed, "Zero was killed. 1 needs immediate care."_

_ The Toy Maker lifted the two Stitchpunk and placed them carefully on the workbench. Two blue, child-like Stitchpunk curiously drew near to them. The Toy Maker shooed them away with a hand and lifted 1. The oil was draining from his forehead, it was repaired with a single stitch. 2 and the twins drew close._

_ 1 twitched and opened his eyes slowly. He suddenly lept from the Toy Maker's hand and cowered behind a book. 2 tried to coax him out but 1 had no memory of who he was._

_"The blow to the head must have given him immesia," Said the Toy Maker, "I think it's best if he never remembers his poor friend."_

10's narrow optics fluttered open. 2 was sitting nearby. 10's head was closed and back to normal. The sun was only a few inches higher in the sky, nearing the point were it would be covered in the smog clouds.

Without a word, 10 stood up and walked into the center of the dusky street. On the ground was a shard of wood with a sharp, rusty nail sticking out of one end. Impailed on the nail was a white shread of fabric. On the fabric was a fragment of a black ink number: 0. Zero's body was gone. He lifted her number from the ground. The sun was blocked by the black cloud.

He squeezed the white silk tight and collapsed to his knees. Why hadn't he protected her? If it wern't for his cowardice she'd still be alive! He'd failed once again.

2 approached the Stitchpunk king, whose breathing was starting to shutter uncontrolably. 2 placed a claw on his back and started to stroke him, attempting to comfort his leader.

"It's not your fault," 2 whispered

_No,_ 10 thought, _What could I have done against a pack of humans? Those careless monsters. They've left us with nothing, even taking away our family._

10 swallowed the knot in his throat and stood up straight. 2 began to make his way back toward the Sanctuary. 10 stared down at Zero's number, poundering what he should do with it. Finally, he tied the white silk around his neck like a scarf so that the black number hung down over his heart.

_For all to see, _10 thought as he made his way to the Sanctuary, _A symbol of wrong the human race had done._

The sun was on its way down below the sea of human ruins. The Sanctuary was starting to come into shadow while, wondering in the halls, two pairs of bright white beams shown. The michevious sisters were on their second viset to the Sanctuary. Likely they wanted to play another trick on the Stitchpunk elder, but they were suddenly brought to a halt after stumbling upon two other Hybrids.

"Nip, Tuk?" Tzarina questioned

"What are you doing out here?" Sparks added, his voice squeaking in question, "Did the Stitchpunk bring you in too?"

"No, they must have just been exploreing in here. If they were discovered by that pompous Stitchpunk leader, I'm sure we would have heard him making a fuss about it," Tzarina reasoned

"What are you two doing way out here anyway? I'm sure Negative doesn't like you two sticking your noses into everything!" Sparks scolded

"Negative! The Fabricator must be all over him for loosing track of us" Tzarina looked down at the sisters, who only looked like they were half listening, "Nip, Tuk! I need you two to go back to the Factory and tell Negative where Sparks and me are. And that soon I will be coming back with the Stitchpunk, 2!"

"W-wait, T-t-t-t-Tzarina! I thought we'd become friends with the Stitchpunk," Squeaked the grey Hybird

"Friends? What? Did you think they would just welcome a machine like you so redily? Unlikely!" Tzarina yowled and lifted a heavy paw, "I have been given a mission and I'm not about to forget why I was sent. I'll complete my task soon. Once I catch 2 alone . . . !"

Her speach turned into a nasty roar as she swung her paw toward Sparks. The grey doll ducked out of the way and her claws impacted a stone statue, shattering it to dust.

The sky and smog was turned breifly red as the sun basked in its final minuets that day. The blackened Factory was bathed in the angry light.

"Good news, my master!" Negative spoke bowing with his face to the ground

The enomous machine turned himself, half-way, toward his ambastor.

"It had better be, or it will be your neck," Mumbled the massive machinical voice

"I have the locations of -5 and -9. They are at a large stone building, tall, with a bell tower. They are being held with the Sitchpunk, captive, I'm afraid," Negative dictated

Before the Fabricator could give his Hybrid slave an order, they were interupted by a dark brown doll with a metal mask strolling right inbetween them.

"So, -1, I see y'all is still hanging around this old dump," BleachFace scoffed

"I see you've wised up and joined us," Negative said with a smirk

"Wrong-O, old timer. I'm just here to get my eye fixed," BleachFace said waving his claw in front of his ex-leader's face tauntingly

"Well, I'm sorry to inform you that our healer isn't in the vacinity. He's being held captive by the Stitchpunk savages," Negative bit back in false politeness

"Now there's one thing I gotta agree with you on, twigy. That avian warrior was a bi-"

"Stitchpunk 7?" The huge machine's voice interjected

"The white one that could fight?" BleachFace mummured

"Enough, I want both of you out!"

The Machine pulled his body up high and let out a mechanized roar to summon a Beast, a Beast whose purpose was to kidnap Stitchpunk.

5 and 9 had given themselves time to get reaquainted while they sat upon the front steps of the Sanctuary, watching as the sky above turned from red to purple to blue. 5 was allowed to confide in his friend his suspisions in 10's leadership capabilities. It turned out that 9 shared his same concerns. White dapples of stars started to show up in the dark blue sky. 9 decided to pour out his own concerns at that moment.

"I remember just a few weeks ago I would be at the Memorial right now, trying to speak with you and the others," 9 said

"Talking to us?" 5 questioned turning the good half of his face to him, "But we were dead."

"I know, but I remember getting a response. A really warm wind would blow me and I remember the sky used to get so gold," 9 took a breath before adding, "But I heard _your_ voice."

"I don't remember ever talking to you," 5 said rubbing the back of his head akwardly, "I just remember going into the clouds and then I was awake in the Clearing, alive again."

"Oh, well, that's too bad that you can't remember," 9 looked at his best friend, "I had so many questions I wanted to ask you."

9 turned his head up at the night sky, 5 fallowed.

"I guess we aren't ment to know."

A few stories above them sat another pair of converating dolls. This pair was rather strange, it consisted of the Sanctuary king and the tzarina of Beasts. 10 sat on some stone molding a few meters above the main cathedral. The molding was thick and dotted with pillars and gargoles. It was something of a walkway. A number of fallen wood raftors made the stairs to the ground. Tzarina was right beside the canvas elder, sitting with paws tucked under her like a cat.

" . . . Humans are _evil,_" Tzarina snarled hatefully

"Fat, greedy, pigs. And dead, as they should be," 10 added stroking the white scarf on his neck

"Dead indeed. And what have they willed to us?" She spat

"Nothing. They left us nothing," He reasponded

"Why must we right their wrongs?" Both spoke simultainiously

10 and Tzarina finally looked eachother in the eye after voicing the exact same opinion. The moment didn't last when the other Hybrid let himself into the group. Sparks sat himself down shly, closer to Tzarina than to 10.

"You know, I want alive when the humans were," He said, "I've experianced their cruelty all too well"

10 tilted his head to the gray doll, while Tzarina quickly swung around at him.

"I was created by the State when a body of a Stitchpunk was found - I only know it as 'Zero . . . '"

10 clutched the silk number hanging over his chest tightly and only watched Sparks more intently, his interest having been perked.

"The Chancellor was fasinated by this, er - 'new techknology'. So, he ordered for one of his own to be created," Sparks shurged, "I guess he probably wanted to use me to squeeze into enemy hide-outs."

Sparks rubbed the back of his head before reluctantly continueing.

"After power was put into me they seemed surprized I had a mind of my own. Fasinated, they decided to continue their studies - using me as a live subject. I was brutally abused, experimented on and totured. They played with my brain - _my head! Inside! Rearrange what's inside! Inside! Inside!_ - until eventually -_ Continue the test! If it struggles sidate it!_ - eventually - _It appears to be having an adverse reaction. Continue the test! We're loosing it! Continue! It's starting to convulse! Sidate it! Continue! Test! Failure! Loosing it. Loosing it. It isn't responding. Vital signs are gone. We've lost it. Make another!_ - I was killed by the abuse. After, my body was just tossed aside."

Sparks looked at Tzarina, who glared at him and sat uneasily. 10 stared him in the eye, his brow wrinkled. Sparks winced at the old Stitchpunk staring at him.

"If you were destroyed by the humans, then how are you here talking to me now?" 10 questioned firmly

"Oh that. Well, I was found in a garbage dump and reassembled by -"

Sparks picked up a low growl from the black doll beside him.

"Er - By a friend," Sparks finished after a pause, "Humans are terrable creatures. I'm glad they're all dead."

Tzarina let out a curt huff and stood up. She left the pair to sit alone, and walked down the stone walkway, coming upon several turns as it weaved into a subsection of the cathedral. The molding came to an end and she glided down to the cobblestone hall below. She continued her stroll behind a corner and saw the elderly, inventor Stitchpunk exit a mousehole in the wall.

"Hello, Tzarina" 2 called walking toward her as he held a handful of human rubbish, "My! I haven't noticed until I came close how lovely your mane looks as it runs down to your tail. Whoever made you must have been quite talented"

2 was all alone. No other Stitchpunk was around to defend him. The black doll sneered with her silver fangs. She was caught off-guard by the sound of footfall coming form up the hall. 2 wouldn't be alone for long. When the black-and-white Stitchpunk entered the hall Tzarina hastily unsheathed her claws and pounced on 2.

"I would have to agree," 10 answered the glitchy Hybrid, "Humans have become true monsters in their final days."

"You know, I find something strange," Sparks' voice hightened with thought, "Isn't strange how all of us are connected somehow? The Toy Maker created Zero and both of us were created to be like her. I just thought it was weird how we were all realated, almost like -"

"We're family?" 10 finished

The convertation was cut short by the sound of 6 yelping. Immediatly, 10 pushed himself to his feet and sprinted toward the sound of the cry, Sparks fallowing directly behind. They found 6 on the ground. He was either knocked down or fell over himself.

"S-She attacked him!" 6's voice stressed in fear, "She took 2 away!"

"Tzarina?" Sparks gasped, "Oh no," He whispered remembering that menacing promice she made to him that sunset

"Where did she head?" 10 demanded

6 pointed a shaking nib toward the front enterance. 10 was the frist to reach the front steps, with Sparks and 6 only seconds behind. 9 and 5 took a quick glace away from the Emptiness to horizon to look at the trio. A small black figure, with a dull brown figure lolling over its back, was heading toward the three tall smong-towers.

10's slanted eyes widened upon seeing a white doll running after them. For moment he truely believed it was Zero and in that time his legs started to send him after the white doll. His pace lagged after realizing it was 7 chasing the kidnapper, but he quickly continued to push himself after her. He didn't want her hurt. He didn't want to fail to protect someone ever again!

The elderly, canvas Stitchpunk soon was behind 7. However, 10 wasn't as graceful on the ruins as she, and his ankle collapsed sending him falling sideways onto the white warrior. 7's spear was knocked out of her hands and was left at the top of the rubble hill. The white and tan dolls tumbled down a sharp incline of metal scraps and onto the flat concrete below.

"Get off me, you bone-bag!" 7 snapped pushing a palm into 10's stomach, "You let her get away!"

7's hand flattened the squeaker inside him and when 10 was nudged away it let out a shrill call. The noise caused a pile of junk to shift. The junk pile was in actuality a Beast! The Glutton Beast had long, squat toad-like legs. Its head was wide and at five high-set eyes. There was a tube coming from the back of its jaw that lead into a vaccum cleaner bag that made up it's belly. The Glutton kept its spot but stared down at the dolls.

7 reached for her spear but her hands grasped nothing. 10 turned to start to flee. The Beast's wide jaws parted. A high-pitched hum accompanyed a powerful suction leading into the Glutton's mouth.

6 had just pulled himself above the rubble pile and made a surprized gasp when he saw 7 and 10 get sucked into the Glutton's mouth. The striped doll kept himself frozen as the machine hopped away toward the Factory and out of sight.

"6!" Called 9's voice

9, with 5, 8 and the twins behind him ran to 6's side.

"They were eaten! 7 and 10! It ran to the Machine!" 6 shouted

"A Beast?" 5 stuttered tilting his head

"Standing here won't get them back. We need to fallow that Beast and Tzarina!" 9 ordered as his troop fallowed after him

As 9 and the remaining, uncaptured Stitchpunk sprinted toward the Factory looming in the orange distance, they didn't notice the small, grey Hybrid secretly fallowing.

The Glutton made long hops toward the Factory, landing with a metalic thud every time he landed. It was dark and hot within his belly. 7 was freicly struggling to excape. The warrior slammed herself into the bag. She even tared at it with her hands, but the fabric was far too strong to be broken by her dull fingertips. 10 sat on one end of the machine's stomach. He hand his arms around his knees and his head hung limp. 10 was starting to get sea-sick from the Beast's movement, but his most of his sulking came from the fact that he had failed to protect 7.

7, after slamming herself against the bag, noticed the somber, elderly leader. She approached him angrily.

"What are you doing?" She snapped

"I'm sorry 7, I was only trying to keep you safe," 10 mummured, his head still hanging

"And again that's ended us trapped in a prison", 7 stated helping him to his feet, "Help me break out of here."

"There's nothing we can do," He moaned sulkingly

"Coward!' 7 hollared striking him in the face with a hand

10 fell back but caught himself on the wall of the Beast's stomach with his gold claw, causing a tiny hole to be ripped.

"We're doomed, accept it," 10 stated

7 let out an exasperated sigh and dropped into a sitting position. 10's words finally penitrated her. She hugged her knees and hid her head. Her will was finally broken.

7 felt something glare into her eyes for a moment. Her optics blinked open and she saw a tiny shaft of moonlight shining from behind 10. The white moonlight was coming from three tiny holes where 10's claws had been.

"10," 7 whispered in rising hope, "Your claws"

"What of them?" 10 asked lifting his head

"They're sharp,"

"And?"

"You can claw us out of here!" 7 said in a sudden burst of excitment, pointing a finger toward the tare in the bag, "Look!"

10 looked at the tiny holes. He extended his fingers and dug them into the tare. The mussels in his thin arms tightened as he struggled to slice the hole bigger. The hole, dispite his struggle, refused to grow much bigger.

"I can't!" 10 breathed

"Yes you can. Fight it, 10! Pretend it's 9," She egged him on, knowing his distain for the brulap doll

The elder's swipes became more violent and he started to batter the fabric with the claws on his feet. 7 thought she saw him try to bite it a few times. While 10 battled with the Glutton's belly, the small beam of moonlight grew into an ever-growing rippiling pool. The hole was finally big enough for them to jump through. The Sanctuary king and the white warrior stood close to the hole, watching the ground go by in a starting-stopping motion as the Beast hopped.

"Well done for your frist fight," 7 said in a surprizingly sincere tone as she rested a palm on 10's shoulder, "You could have been a good warrior. How'd it feel?"

"Truthfully," 10 started as his narrow eyes looked at her, "I had a diabolical sence of joy"

The two dolls jumped out of the Beast's body and rolled across the dust and into a trench. Once they pushed themselves back up, they found the Glutton didn't appear to notice their absence and his hops dissapeared into the distance. The pair of Stitchpunk climbed up and saw the front of the big, black factory rocketing into the air only a few hundred meters away. While 7 heard 10 gulp loudly, she noticed Tzarina, with a struggling 2 flung over her back, sprint down into the Factory's front enterance.

"Let's get her!" 7 growled taking a step and snatching 10's elbow

"No," 10 hissed pulling away

"What? I just saw you beat up the inside of that machine real good. Trust me, you'll be fine!" She said, "Or are you still a sniviling, little coward?"

"Sometimes it is the_ cowards _who surive," 10 whispered then turned away from her and hid behind a pile of sandbags

7's face screwed up in anger - 10 never changed! She snatched a pointed shard of shrapnel, pulled the skull over her face and entered the Factory.

Meanwhile 9's group approached Factory. The group had several close calls with Seekers and Skouts, but they hadn't been spotted. They stopped behind a depleated barrel of oil. 9 felt his stomach clentch upon realizing the Fabricator was running out of energy sources.

"Okay guys, listen; the Machine is getting hungry. That means it probably want to get our souls more desperatly now. So be extra careful and don't let yourself get caught by any machine," 9 felt something tap his shoulder, he turned and saw 8, this what strange because the big doll rarely had anything to say, "What is it, 8?"

"I'm going to get 1," 8 said gruffly

"No 8, don't be foolish, stay with us," 5 said with a hint of bitterness in his voice

"No, he'll be okay. Go on 8," 9 said nodding his head at the big doll

8 pushed himself out of a crouching position and started to run toward an area with deep trenches. 9 opened his mouth to give the next order but he was interupted by a bass humming. 9, 5 and 6 shifted their gazes around to find the source of the jazzy tune, and the twins clutched each other neveriously. 5 thought he saw a white-tipped tail slide across a pile of sandbags. He silently pointed 9 in that direction. The tail, along with metal ears, slid by a broken human jeep. 9 noticed it frist and started to approach it.

"What is it?" He whispered to himself

9 peeked behind the jeep but saw nothing. He didn't notice the dark brown doll swing down behind his friends. BleachFace hung himself upside-down with his tail curled around a chunk of metal sticking out of the rubble pile. The four that still hid behind the pile turned suddenly upon hearing BleachFace pull his sythe out.

"Ya'll look lost," Jeered the cat-like doll slamming the butt of his weapon into the back of 5's head

As 5 slammed to the ground. 6 and the twins became spooked and began to run. 9 launched himself at BleachFace as he trotted gracefully behind them. 9 tried to grab him but the cat slid right out his way, leaving 9 on the ground with arms full of nothing but air.

BleachFace continued the marry chase after the striped doll and the twins. 3 and 4 slammed to a halt, almost falling into a thick, muddy river that was once a trench. 9 was right after the brown Hybrid, with 5 lagging behind. 9 lept to grab BleachFace but the Hybrid jumped up and escaped into a rubbish mound. 9 was about the persue him when he heard a cry from 6.

6 slipped off the edge of the river and slashed into its soupy depths. 9, 5 and the twins watched the thick water roll by tensely. A dark blob appeared underwater, moments later a wet mop of hair bobbed to the surface. The striped doll was a meter away from his friends. The group screamed for him but 6 was soon distracted by a bright, inviting blue glow downstream.

9, 5 and the twins stiffened seeing 6 starting to pattle toward a floating blue orb downstream. The striped doll's eyes seemed blank as he stared up into the light. As he swam closer he noticed four red glows underwater. Rows of webbed spines rose from the water behind the orb.

"Across the stones!" 9 yelled upon realizing there was some kind of machine in the water

9 lept across a row of stones sicking from the thick river. He sprinted after the striped doll's bobbing head.

"Swim away, 6!" 9's voice strianed

6 heard the shriek and tried to tred the water. He saw a white head attached the to blue light on the wire float the surface. There was a plastic troodon skull replica with four red eyes within feet of him. The skull had a long, metal underbite with rows of long, curved teeth. 6's felt a chill upon seeing the Underbite's long, serpintine body swiftly cut through the water toward him.

"6!" Yelped one of his friends from the shore

The striped doll turned himself away and frantically tried to paddle against the current. The Underbite's long body swayed toward him, her jaws opened wide. 6 glanced back and saw rows of needle-like teeth above and below.

5 wrapped his arms around his eye, then he heard a high pitched squeal from the machine. 5 looked and saw the Underbite's head slam underwater, but she had missed 6. A dark brown cat-like doll had jumped on her pale head. The sea monster reared her body up, exposing a prehensile, bone arm and a hook-hand, to try and fling BeachFace away, but the cat stayed frimly on her head. While the Underbite squirmed in the water, 6 was dragged up the muddy shore by the twins.

"She a real nice gal, ain't she!" BleachFace remarked, "Pretty useless on land through"

9 watched, unsure if he should leave the Hybrid alone, while the water serpent tried to buck her attacker away. BleachFace snatched the long wire attatched to the blue lure and yanked to the left. She flopped into the air furiously. There was a clank as the machine's head impacted a soild branch of piping jutting from the muddy banks. Underbite let out a defeated groan before she fell down, creating a mushroom cloud of sullied water.

9 couldn't see BleachFace. He felt a pang of fear thinking maybe the doll was trapped underwater with the beast. The burlap doll jumped seeing a dark figure leap above the trench shore. 9 barely had time to think as BleachFace swiped at 6 and the twins with his sythe. 3, 4 and 6 sprinted away from the cat in the direction of the Factory. BlechFace chuckled with the thrill of chase but hadn't noticed the two remaining Stitchpunk on his tail

BleachFace yowled feeling something pull his tail. He looked back at 9 iratly. 9 jumped back to dodge the sythe and landed on his back, all the while groping at his lightbulb staff. BleachFace's pupils dilated, his eyes being stung by a bright flash. The burlap savor waved the light on his staff at BleachFace. The cat hissed, while covering his sensitive machine eyes. The dark brown doll fled with an angry caterwaul.

"I knew machines hate light" 9 breathed after fending away the Hybrid

"Oh no" 5 mummured looking at the Factory only a few hundred meters away, "I can't see 6 or the twins"

"I can't either," 9 motioned with his head, "We need to go after them. Fallow me!"

10 had sweezed himself into a hiding place between two rows of sandbags. The elder shivered. He didn't know what to do next. He was unprotected and so close to the machines. 10's gut wrenched thinking about having to experience the painful process of being devoured by the Machine once more.

"_Don't be scared, small one,_" A lovely female voice sang

10's strieghtened alertly. His narrow eyes sifted.

"_Don't be scared, I'm here,_" Came the voice again

The white-cloaked leader's ticker pounded on his chest. He wasn't exactly sure what to think. He answered very quietly.

"Hello?"

"_I see you, small one. Don't be frightened, I'm here to care,_" A cream-colored figure slid in front of 10

10 saw a Stitchpunk female before him. She was a soft cream with long, black silk for hair. She was covered in a gray-brown dress. The dress hung far beyond her feet, so she seemed to float as she drew close to him. The Stitchpunk was lovely, but 10 could feel distrust. It wasn't only the distrust, something told him there he was in danger - it was a feeling he felt before, but he couldn't recall when.

"A-Are you wounded, you arms appear rather limp" The old doll took a look at her face and noticed a brown vegil over her mouth

"_You may call me Cream, little doll. Please come out, please come out. I want to talk to you, little one,_" Answered Cream

The fair doll backed away from the sandbags. 10 fallowed her cautiously. He found her eyes unsettling so he kept his distance.

"_I know which one you are little doll. You're the Stitchpunk 1_"

"It's 10," He corrected, staring into her bright eyes

"_No, you know who you are,_" She said as 10 came closer, "_You're 1. The fristborn. The leader. The protector._"

10 was soothed by the voice. He didn't want to look away. He hardly noticed something black starting to curl around his legs. While the siren sang for him, his body was enveloped by a long black tail. He didn't notice the constriction until Cream's motherly voice transformed into a harsh, metallic croon.

"Yes, you're 1 - the barer of evil human traits! The murderer! The coward! And the failure!" Cream's body rose away to reveal a white snake head made from a porcline shard

The elder's reality came back to him in a flash. His body was being squeezed by a big black snake body. The torso of the body had four long arms with needle fingers. Attached to the neck and cobra hood was a shard of porcline with two fangs. A black tounge flitted in and out over his body. Cream was only a puppet attached to the New Seamstress's head. New Seamstress had massive, shining, red eyes.

"No! No!" 10 realized that bad feeling he had when he saw Cream, "It's you!"

"You silly, little fool," She hissed mockingly, "Old and weak and alone again, I always knew you were the easiest target. Go on, squirm and struggle all you want, but you cannot escape it! I can see into you like a window, 1, you're a failure. You're doomed to die all alone"

"No! I won't let that happen!" 10 retorted fearfully as her tounge grazed him

"Fat, greedy pig!" She spat, "Tyranical, murderous fascist! Stupid, ignorant waste! You're worng. You'll always be worng."

"It's not true!" He howled, each word was like a barb into the chest

"It is true, little one, but it will be okay. Hush, little one," New Seamstress purred lovingly, stroking the fightened Stitchpunk's face with a claw, "Just relax, little fool. Just look into my eyes."

10 looked up into her huge glinting orbs. He felt soothed once more. His struggled waned and he started to become lathargic.

"I can make it all go away. Look into my eyes. Look, little fool," New Seamstess purred, her big, red eyes glittering invitingly

10 found the coils gone and the next moment he was on his back in the dirt. New Seamstress yowled furiously. 10 saw the Stitchpunk puppet she used to lure him in drop to the ground by him. He looked up and saw 8 wrestling with the siren's head. She flung herself violently but 8 has a strong hold on her head. Seamstress let out a painfull scream as the Stitchpunk thrust a fist into one of her beautiful eyes. 8 was ripped away with a needle hand. The black snake machine slithered away toward the Factory, screaming.

"I'm gratefull, 8" 10 said as he was helped to his feet

The hisses of the Seamstress still echoed in 10's mind.

"8," 10 breathed, "Do you think the others have forgiven me?"

"Yes," 8 answered at length

"Truely?"

8 shurged, then asked, "What do we do now?"

"We shall enter the Factory," 10 tried to make his voice sound bold, "The others are in there. We need to be there to protect them."

9, and 5 scittered out from behind the oil barrel after the Seeker's light pool moved on. The Factory's massiveness was only a few yards away. The enterance was tantalizingly close, but soon their hearts sank seeing a pair of Skouts stalk in to patrol the opening. 9 lead his unnerved best friend behind a chunk of sharpnel.

"I think we can sneak around these guys" He whispered

The two Stitchpunk made it nearly half-way to the enterance before 5's misgivings caused him to walked more briskly, putting himself ahead of 9. 9 was behind him for a few short moments, when 5 heard him yelp shrilly. One of the Skouts snatched the burlap doll in his rat jaws, and was stumbling away. 9's cries were distorted because the Skout was shaking him violently. 5 bent to snatch a stick from the ground.

The tiny machines were programmed to shake prey until it was dead, and that was just the thing on the mind of the second Skout. His razor break grazed 5's elbow, but missed. The stick smashed into his face hard, and the Skout rolled across the ground. The one-eyed doll sprinted toward his friend.

Poor 9 was starting to become disoridented. His struggle waned as his back and neck started to sting because of the violent shaking. The Skout realesed him when 5 came up from behind, and savagely beat the skull head with the stick. While the machine, with many new cracks in his skull, groned in pain, 9 and 5 sprinted to some piping on the leading into the Factory.

The piping that once carried oil from the derreks outside was no longer in use because it was broken. They used the small rusted out hole to climb inside. 9 was frist, and started to pull himself up the vertical pipe. 5 was still on the ground when he heard the Skouts start to approach the pipe.

"Is there any way out of here, 9?" Asked 5 queitly

"There's horazonal fork the pipe above. We can get in through there" 9 answered, struggling to pull his body up the shaft

A silver Skout beak poked into the rusted out hole, shining from the pale light coming from the top of the pipe. His beak became too broad to fit in completly. The jaws were within millimeters of 5's belly. The Skouts soft chuffles turned into angry squwaks as he struggled to fit himself in the pipe.

"Faster, 9" 5 called

9 crawled further up, about half-way to the fork. 5 got himself off the ground, and away from the Skout, whose muzzle got further in every moment. The two Stitchpunk climbed further up. A bright pool of light shone at the top of the verticle piping. 9 got one hand onto the ledge of the pipe that lead into the Factory when the light from above was cut off. The other Skout's head stuck in through the top hole, and his body fallowed quickly after. 9 looked down at a terrified 5, as the Skout form below got inside, and started to swiftly claw up. The two machines came from above and below. The burlap Stitchpunk noticed a few rusty bolts sticking out of a below section of pipe.

"I'll keep the above one busy, you take those bolts out so the below pipe falls off!" 9 yelled

While 5 pushed all the bolts out, 9 smacked at the above Skout's face with a hand. 9 heard the final bolt fall down, and went back into the horazontal fork. 9 started to pull his friend into the fork, but the below Skout snatched his ankle.

There was a harsh, rusty groan from below as the pipe section fell down like a massive tree. 5's ankle was realesed as the machine was taken down with the pipe. The pair of Stitchpunk looked down, and saw the crushed pipe, and knew the machine was crushed along with it.

A white skull appeared from the top pipe, and screamed at them. 9 swiftly turned the bulb on his staff, and thrust the luminious orb at the top Skout. The machine's red slits dialated in surprize, he lost his grip on the pipe, and tumbled down.

"That'll show him!" 5 huffed, then he and 9 turned to sprinted down the metal tunnel leading into the Factory

As they ran away there were unable to notice a long, skinny, three-fingered claw groping the edge of the pipe. The Skout pulled himself up into the fork. The machine shook himself off, and let out a vengefull screech before sprinting after the Stitchpunk.

Deep within the Factory, in the red furince glow of the Fabricator's chamber, Negative, and his deputy, Slasher, were summoned by the Machine. Negative stared up, trying to keep his slits from dialating in fear. The Machine plucked a tiny device from a convater belt shelf. The device was black, and cylindical, with a red bulb at the top. At the base opposite the bulb was a long neddle-like rod with a sharp point. The device was only about the length of a doll finger. Negative noticed that Slasher had one of them stitcking out of an inlet in the back of his head. The eldest Hybrid was wondering why all his kin had an inlet back there, though he was neverious about having that needle suck into his head.

While Negative pondered the device, the Machine reached for him. Three husky, metal fingers wrapped around his skinny body, and lifted him off the ground. Negative squirmed helplessly. The Fabricator had a quick pang of satfication seeing the tiny creature sturggle, then inserted the devise into Negative's inlet. The white doll yelped, feeling the neddle pinch him.

"This attachment will allow you to better serve me," The tyrannical machine stated

As the boney Hybrid was placed back on the ground, Cat Beast entered. She pushed a rollerskate with her nose in front of the Fabricator. On the skate was a broken striped doll. Negative looked down at Dapple's body. His stomach clentched upon realizing it was he who caused the brutal slaughter. Negative was flooded with guilt knowing he destoryed the beautiful Hybrid. He looked at Slasher woefully, but was surprized to find that Slasher showed no signs of regreating the murder. It was Negative who raised Slasher as a son. Was it his teachings that lead Slasher to be so remorseless?

Cat Beast started to turn to leave, but she was snatched up by the Fabricator, and he lifted her away from the Hybrids. The beasts limbs flailed in struggle while her creator started to modify her body, just as he had when he created New Seamstress, and New Winged Beast. Cat Beast's shreeks of pain seemed to fade off when Tzarina entered, with 2 still over her back.

"Tzarina, my child!" Negative called happily

After Tzarina handed 2, who still stubornly resited, to Slasher, she was embraced by her father-figure. Negative squeezed the powerful black doll lovingly. Tzarina was less enthuisastic, but put her paws around his back to humor him. The Hybrid leader's heart sunk realizing that now that she was there, his leadership would be over.

"I brought you the Stitchpunk, 2" Tzarina reported

"Very good." Negative reasponded, aware the Machine had turned himself, and looked down at the Stitchpunk hungrily

2 was pushed toward Negative by Slasher. When he looked up, he saw the darkened shapes of the Hybrids, looking like the three smog towers in front of the Fabricator's massive red eye. The old Stitchpunk was frozen in fear as the Fabricator drew closer, but Negative put himself inbetween the two. The Machine's head sparked in confusion.

"No, I need him alive," Said the white Hybird, "Do you remember that odd energy disturbance, Zero, that I was telling you about?"

"What do you want with Zero?" 2 demanded pushing himself to his feet

"Silence!" Negative thrust his Snake Staff toward 2

The old Stitchpunk's eyes became blank, staring into the bright white eyes of the Snake Skull. The Fabricator looked on impatiently.

"What do you know about this Zero?" Negative demanded

"Zero was a prototype Stitchpunk. She was killed by being trampled by humans during the war. Her spirit is at peace now," 2 answered mindlessly

The Machine shreeched furiously, causing the lights on the Staff to go dark as Negative swung around frightenly. The massive machine pulled toward the Hybrid, his great head throwing lighting.

"It isn't a powerful source of energy, -1! You lied to me again!" The Fabricator lifted a huge arm to smite him

"No! Master! I didn't know!"

"We got intruders," BleachFace snarled upon entering, causing the Fabricator to pause

"How dare you! Speak to your leader with reaspect" Tzarina crowed turning toward the dark brown cat, "Who do you think you are?"

"That's -7, my child," Negative stated in releif that his master spared him for the moment

"He wares a false face," She scoffed, swiftly approaching BleachFace, "What are you hiding, coward?"

BleachFace lifted his sythe in defence. Tzarina paused, seeing the cat act agressivly. He changed the subject.

"I spotted the avian warrior in the Factory on my way here," He said

"Master!" Negative hissed with a low bow, "Allow _me_ to take care of Stitchpunk 7. I just know that would prove my undieing loyalty!"

The Machine was silent for a moment. He knew 7 was a skilled warrior, and assumed Negative would be killed by her.

"Go!" The machine demanded, then turned away to work on New Cat Beast

As Negative exited, Tzarina pushed 2 into BleachFace. BleachFace grabbed the Stitchpunk's wrist frimly.

"Tie him up," Tzarina ordered glancing back at him as she exited

7 had lost track of the black Hybrid long ago and was wondering a large hall in the Factory. Her skull was pulled over her face, and she was clutching her sharp shard of steel tensely. Even while she moved her gaze around the room, she was unable to see the black-cloaked creature slithering in the dark hall. Negative loomed silently behind her, his claws and tail raised.

7's weapon was slapped out of her hand by a skinny tail. Something clutched her wrists and held them firmly behind her back. She was held up to a black cloak. She could see a pale, skinny face rested on her shoulder. At frist she thought it was 1, but then realized it was one of the red-eyed dolls. She jerked, but couldn't break free of the snake's clutches.

"I do believe I found a Stitchpunk savage wondering my halls," Rumbled a deep, silky, however, aged voice

7 jolted, but the Hybrid refused to loosen his grip. She rumbled, trying to turn her head to look him in the eye.

"Curse the silly fool who thought she could stop the unstoppable," Purred the old Hybrid, "The Age of the Machine will come once again. We machines will destory all traces of life allowed to take root in this desolate kingdom. As for you, you will give the Great Machine the vital energy to do this."

The white warrior felt the Hybrid's grip turn more lustful. His body hung over her back. She growled distgustedly.

"Once he has taken over, _I _will become king! _I _will be king of the world! All the power I could ever desire would be right in my claws," It was clear by the tone of his voice where Negative's mind was, "And I could choose any mate I desire."

That was when 7 could no longer take it. She flug Negative over her, and slammed him into the ground before he could get the chance to have his way. She picked her weapon off the ground and shoved it into the while doll's throat. Negative's pupils dialated, all this thoughts scattered and turned into a fear.

"Fabricator, save me!" He prayed clasping his claws over his chest

"Silence!" 7 demanded, "Tell me, what are you creatures and what are you planning! Now!"

7 was distracted by two gray shapes leaping into her face. Red eyes and sneering teeth were replaced with a jolt of orange frills. 7 was quicked sidated by the twin sister's flashing eyes. The white warrior collasped to the ground while Negative pushed himself to his feet. Nip and Tuk's sniggering was interupted by a command from their leader.

"Nip, Tuk, go find BleachFace and patrol this area of the Factory. I'll be in my throne room,"

With that, Negative and the cackling sisters sprinted in seperate directions.

6 and the Stitchpunk twins happened to be wondering in a long, gaping hall in the Factory. It used to be filled with Walkers, but the dead machines were moved, leaving a vacant hall. The hall was usually an express way for all the machines going in and out of the Factory on their assinged tasks. The machines were gone, all being ordered to patrol outside as soon as the Stitchpunk invasion was announced.

The three striped dolls had been chased away by a scary, Beast-headed doll. They had become lost. The three halted upon hearing snivling cackling from up the all. Nip and Tuk crawled down a pile of oil cans with menaical grins. The 3 and 4 already knew them and grimaced. It was time for 6 to meet the neighborhood scumbags!

"Hi boys," Tuk hissed in a mocking sing-song tone

"What do you two want?" 4 flickered

"What do we want? We aren't the ones snooping around in our house," Nip reasponded

"Well I hope you don't plan on trying to beat on us. There's _three_ of us and_ two _of you!" 3 clicked

The flithy sisters began to howl, and giggle uncontrolably. At first the twins were confused as to what was making them so giddy, until they noticed the orange-eyed figure crouched at the top of the oil cans. They jumped seeing BleachFace leap down after them. Nip and Tuk thrust themselves foreword, making their faces scary with long fangs and bright frills.

6 ran first, with the twins quick after him. The pattering of the three Hybrid's metal claws were right at their feet. Nip and Tuk's barks didn't frighten them nearly as much as BleachFace's pricing yowl. It was just as horrable as being chased by a Beast!

3, 4 and 6 were herded right into an empty oil barrel. They slammed into the back off the rusty metal barrel and peered outside. There was nothing in the gray and black hall outside. However, the three bullys loomed on one side of the barrel.

"Check this out!" BleachFace boasted then booted the metal container with his hind legs

6 let out a shrill cry as the barrel rolled for a few moments. It stopped at the edge of a small opening, where a steep convater belt lead into a pit of darkness. BleachFace, Nip and Tuk backed up in unison, as if in a dance. The three threw joyful grins at eachother before sprinting foreword.

A thunderous boom sounded from inside the barrel as the three Hybrids slammed into it. The barrel rocked foreword and plummeted down into the dark shaft, the poor Stitchpunk inside spinning and spinning like they were inside a twister. BleachFace and the sisters laughed as the sounds of the barrel dissapearing into an unknown place. They then left to continue the patrol.

"I remember this place," Said 9 while he and his friend walked down the big vacant hall, "This was where we entered the Factory when we were presueing Cat Beast."

9 glanced down the gray and black hall and saw something on the ground. It was 7! As he and 5 rushed in closer, they noticed she had been knocked out by something. 9 was the first to crouch down beside her. Neither of them had noticed the rat-headed Beast tapping behind them.

"7!" 9 yowled picking up her head

The rat jaws clamped shut around 9's torso. The Skout sprinted foreword and started violently shake the doll for a second time. 5 lept to his feet and went right after the Skout. Being slammed in random directions at high volicity, 9's back and neck started to trob, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. 5 tried to hold on the Skout's body but the tiny machine thrashed him from side to side. 5 tried desprately to get a hold of the machine's head but it was thrashing about too fast.

Suddenly, the Skout let out a priceing, painful squeal. A shard of metal burst through his chest and exited out, leaving a spray of sparks and oil. The raptor monster crashed to the side, dead. 9 tumbled to the ground, his entire body pulsed with needle pricks. When the pain subsided he saw that 7 has killed the Beast and 5 was already thanking her. The youngest Stitchpunk stood up and thanked 7 for saving his life. He didn't remember how many occasions 7 had done that. But he knew now was no time to be catching up on that.

"7, I think I know the way into the Machine's chamber. That's probably were Tzarina took 2! Let's go!"

_Characters (In order of apperance/mentioning)_

***~* Stitchpunks *~***

9 . . . To Save Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from burlap, hands and feet molded from copper. Body held shut by a brass zipper. Normal height. Most advanced and refined of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - Perviously defeated the Machine, now lives in peace with the other three surviving of his family, 3, 4 and 7. After enountering Tzarina, is deturmind to discover where she came from.

10 . . . To Perfect Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from canvas, steel claws, poorly constructed. Held shut with two belt straps. Of average heigtht and skinny figure. The firstborn of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - Once the protective self-proclaimed leader of the Stitchpunk, lost his influance quickly once 9 appeared. Upon realizing he was no longer a use to the group, killed himself to save 9. Changed his name to 10, a number recognized as a symbol of perfection, to mark his second term as Stitchpunk leader. Had a squeaker lodged in his chest that he's often humiliated by. Often haunted by self-lotheing.

2 . . . To Inspire Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from a mix of burlap, canvas and leather put together in patches, bronze hands and worn wood feet. Held shut with a shoelace. Weakest and shortest of the Stitchpunk beings.

Details - An elder and kindy inventor and medic. Killed in part by 1's intention and a mistake of 9's. Other than 9, the only one that seems to understand 6. Knows something about "Zero".

5 . . . To Guide Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from pale burlap with a leather eyepatch, copper hands. Held shut with two bronze buttons. Smaller than average.

Details - Reluctant student of 2's and map-maker. Killed by the Fabrication Machine. Distrusts 10, knowing his intentions in 2's murder perviously. Veiws 9 as a superior leader to 10.

8 . . . To Gaurd Us

Number Placement - Shoulder

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - New skin is a brownish-tawny fabric, steel-and-copper hands and feet. Large and bulky. Held together with two clips.

Details - A devoted fallower of 1.

7 . . . To Defend Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Bleached canvas-like fabric skin, copper hands and feet, held shut with a blue-green button. Smaller and more nimble than the majority of the others. Large scar on back from a battle with the Cat Beast many years ago. Hates 1 for reasons not fully understood.

Details - Perviously a loner and Beast-slayer, after the defeat of the Fabrication Machine now lives with 9, her apparent mate, and 3 and 4. Still retains her independant nature. Dispises 10.

3 . . . To Teach Us

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Broader face, larger and hands and taller than 4.

Details - Child-like and twin of 4. More curious, outgoing and more easily hurt than his sister.

4 . . . To Define Us

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Stitchpunk

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from blue, striped gardening gloves, hooded head with steel hands and wood feet. Small. Smaller mouth, hands and slightly shorter than 3.

Details - Child-like and twin of 3. More cautious, rational and more shy than her brother.

0 . . . To Remember Us

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - N/A

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from think white silk wit ha few stray scraps and threads hanging off her. Thin aluminum hands. Big sightless eyes. Extremely weak.

Details - Playfull, but sickly and blind Stitchpunk. Created by the Scientest as a test for 1. 1 became like a father and best friend to her. Was killed after being tambled by humans during the Great War.

***~* The Machines *~***

Ant Driods

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male

Anatomy - Several legs and many red eyes attatched to a single black section of its body. Slightly larger than a Stitchpunk.

Details - Created by the Machine, a quick-moving minor machine used primarily to stand look-out for the Machine or collect parts for him.

The Fabrication Machine

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Massive machine with two body sections with many arms and tools attatched, one massive processor for a head with a red eye, apposable tail attached him to his Factory.

Details - His processor was built by the creator of the Stitchpunk and his massive body added on so her may create war-machines. The cause of the exermination of life. Killed by 9. Created Stitchpunk beings of his own to eliminate the original nine, however his main motivation is something unknown. Rules Negative and in turn, the rest of the hybirds, with fear and intimidation. Unknowingly desires love about all things.

The Skouts

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male

Anatomy - Rat skull head, raptor-like body with springs in legs. Long whiplash tail. Highly aposable fingers. Stitchpunk-sized. Fairly inteligent and programed with pack mentality. Shakes victems until dead.

Details - Created by the Machine. Fast, nimble but very fragile. Used to collect items and patrol boarders.

The Cat Beast

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Long monkey-like legs, cat skull head with one lightbulb eye to see at night and spiked back. Two-and-a-half Stitchpunk heights.

Details - Created by the Machine. Nimble and powerful but uninteligent. Enjoys toying with her pray. Killed by 7 but salvaged by the Machine. Currently being redesigned.

The Cackle Beast

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male accept the Matriarch

Anatomy - Six extremely long legs with fingers of variable sizes. Hump-backed bady with a spotted hyena skin draped over it. Possium skull head with rubber ears. Fishing hook at end of tail. Almost two Stitchpunk heights.

Details - Created by the Machine. Similar programming as Cat Beast. Usually in packs with a ruling Matriarch.

The Glutton Beast

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Male

Anatomy - A large, swat, toad-like machine with a wide head and five, highset eyes. Large, wide-spread fingers designed to absorb shock. A tube in his mouth connects to his belly, made from the bag of a vaccum cleaner. Has several tiny, pointed teeth. Roughly a meter tall.

Details - Created by the Machine. Designed to capature Stitchpunk my sucking them into its belly. Similar programming as Seamstress.

Underbite

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Female

Anatomy - A long serpintine body with two arms. One are is a plastic dinsoaur bone replica forelimb, the other is a long chain with a hook. Has two webbed fins under its arms. Also has a tail and dorsal fin. Head is a plastic troadon skull with four eyes and an underbite made form metal, with long angler-fish like teeth. Has a lure with a shining blue light on the top of her head.

Details - Created by the Machine. Patroling, swimming machine, used in the polluted river that runs past the front of the Factory. While she lures pray in stealthfully, she's also a powerful fighting machine. Very slow on land.

New Seamstress

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Female

Anatomy - A long, black fabric covered serpintine body with two arms. Two arms are made from a human forearm and her hands are made of needles. Long neck with a cobra-shaped hood that can hide her true face. Her face is made from a white shard of procline. Has huge, shining red eyes that can hypnotize. Two pointed fangs. A Stitchpunk dummy nicknamed "Cream" is atatched to the top of her head.

Details - Created by the Machine. Made swifter and more powefull than her pervious form. Seamstress is the only machine, other than the Fabricator himself, that can comminuate with dolls directly.

***~* Machine-Stitchpunk Hybrids *~***

Negative (-1) . . . The Innocent

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - White leather skin, frail steel claws, bone tail with stinger, needle fangs. Held shut with two buckles in an "X" across the chest. Red slitted eyes. Shorter and scrawnier than 1.

Details - Created by the Machine to be the leader of the others of his kin. Skittish and very weak but self-loving and irritable. Worships the Machine like a god, fallowing him blindly. However often regreats the bad things he's been forced to do. The only hybird to speak directly to the Machine.

Tzarina (-9) . . . The Understanding

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from a black purse with fur trim. Fur runs down head like a mane, over chest and down back going into a long tail. Zipper runs down the back of her head. Heavy paws with razor blade retractable claws. Red eyes and soild silver fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as a soilder and heir to Negative if he should die. Deeply reaspects elders for their apparent "wisom". Hostile and pig-headed but cannot fight the almost motherly side inside her. Heavy claws make her attacks ineffective on foes that are too fast to be hit. Holds romantic feelings for Sparks that she doesn't comprehend.

Sparks (-5) . . . The Healer

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Majorly a tough gray fabric with patches and stitches. Many stitches along his face and a "Y" insision on his chest. Black metal claws and a white electrical plug for a tail. Shorter than Tzarina and skinny. Red eyes. Exploded patches of wires stitcking out of a wound in his head.

Details - Created by the Machine to recharge himself and bring machines to life. Sparks is submissive and jumpy. He tries to please everyone and tends to be friendly to those who show kindness to him. The wires often glitch causing Sparks to convulse and scream something from his memories - usually something unuseful. Wants to be in a realationship with Tzarina. Desires to become friends with the Stitchpunk.

Cicatrix (-2) . . . The Strong

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Dirty pale burlap skin covered in several patches and stitches. Smallest of all the hybirds and Stitchpunk. Plump. Four heavy arms modled after the Machines', two other apendages sticking from shoulders for welding. No tail, wire-cutter teeth.

Details - Created by the Machine soley for laybor. Able to lift things three-times his weight but his health is fading fast. Peacefull and is fasinated by nature. Mauled by Slasher and lost his voice, his current fate is unknown.

Slasher (-8) . . . The Loyal

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from a red pin cusion. Has stripes of black tar drawn on him. Rows a neddles rising form head, back, shoulders and jaws. Tall and skinny. Medical needle tail, red eyes and huge needle fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as an enforcer of Negative. Dense and misguided by Negative. Enjoys tormenting the "lower" dolls, being Cicatrix, Sparks, Dapple, Nip and Tuk.

Dapple (-6) . . . The Seeing

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from a wool black-and-blue striped sweater. Patch of white fur on head as hair. Frail hooks for fingers. Long tail with the head of a paintbrush at the end.

Details - Created by the Machine to design beasts. Speaks in a slow soft voice. Loves all of her kin, even Negative and Slasher who abuse her. Has dreams for a "family". Takes punishment without fighting back, even if she's undeserving. Ordered to death by Negative and killed by Slasher. Taken to the Machine to be "repaired".

BleachFace (-7) . . . The Independant

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - None

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Tall, lithe and dark brown with a long tail that is tipped with white. Tall collar around neck and swift copper claws. Face is stained with bleach. Wheres a dark metal cat-like mask to hide his face. Red eyes with yellow stained glass, making them appear orange.

Details - Ran away from the rest of the hybrids for an unknown reason. Calls Human-City, "the City" and claims that it all belongs to him. Navigates ruins with ease and enjoys picking fights and playing mind games. Has a strong sence if independance. Doesn't want to reveal his true face and will freicely defend himself if he feels threatened to take off his mask.

Nip (-3) . . . The Loving

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Head and body made from gray denium, arms and legs made from the same material. Green camo cape and hood, bright orange inside. Black and silver claws. Pocket swen into belly. Boarder face and more heavyset than Tuk. Red eyes. No tail, small fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as a worker. Enjoys picking on anything smaller or apparently weaker than herself. Loves the company of her sister but dosn't realize it until she's alone. The leader of the sisters.

Tuk (-4) . . . The Careing

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Head and body made from gray demium, arms and legs made from same material. Turquoise camo cape and good, bright orange inside. Black and silver claws. Pocket sewn onto belly. Skinner than Nip and has unfocused eyes as a result of being beaned on the head too much by her sister. Red eyes. No tail, small fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as a worker. Enjoys fallowing Nip around. More friendly than her sister but still enjoys her wicked ways. A little slower because of being hit on the head too much. More submissive than Nip.

***~* Others *~***

The Toy Maker

A scientest and ex-toy maker hired by the State to create the Machine. The Machine was taken away from the Toy Maker before he was able to complete testing on it. Only after the Machine went mad with power did he create the nine Stitchpunk creatures to continue life on the dead Earth. Died after bringing 9 to life.


	6. Part V: Destroyed Lines

**Author's Notes:** Shortest chapter ever :O This is the first big action sequence. Lots of changes happen quickly here. The line between the Stitchpunk and their clones is symbolically destroyed and redrawn during this chapter. Allegiances will change in the next chapter.

**Part V: Destroyed Lines**

Tzarina was sitting on a high, fallen metal beam in the long Beast-highway. She sat upon the beam like a leopard in a tree. From below she spotted two Stitchpunk. The pair was similar in their pale color, but their body types couldn't be any more different. The leading doll was elderly and scrawny. The follower was younger and huge. Tzarina stood up and addressed 10 and 8.

"It's good you showed up, Stitchpunk elder," She called sardonically, "My leader would be very pleased to see you."

"I'm not going to be playing games with you heinous, red-eyed demons!" 10 spat throwing a finger at her, "Get her!"

At the command, 8 sprinted toward the beam and Tzarina leapt off. The black doll sprinted swiftly as a cheetah while 8 pursued her, with his leader behind him. He was unable to attack; the shadowy doll was too far ahead.

The pace of 10 and his loyal guard stumbled as their lungs were filled with a sour, acrid stench. They continued to pursue the fiend who didn't seem bothered by the smell. 10 recognized it as the killing-gas that devoured the world during the time of fire and metal. It seemed that the deathly gas had dissipated from everywhere but that one dark hall. The Stitchpunk were unaware Tzarina was leading them right into Negative's throne room.

Slasher and the cloaked doll turned their heads at the sound of her pattering paws. Negative's lips parted to say something, but Tzarina bolted right past him and flew up metal raptors. She stopped close to a hole in the ceiling and gazed down as 10 and 8 entered Negative's lair.

"You questioned me about Negative," Tzarina said, "Here's your answer."

The black doll slipped away onto the roof of the Factory. For a short moment 10 and Negative were frozen in fear, seeing a clone of themselves staring into their eyes. 8 and Slasher quickly snapped out of their absent-mindedness.

"You call that little scrap a leader!" Slasher crowed mockingly, "He couldn't lead his way out of a paper bag!"

"1 is the better leader!" 8 bellowed furiously, "Um, I mean, _10_ is the better leader!"

"I've stepped on _bugs _bigger than that!" The red doll slammed a hoof into the ground.

"Well, your guy wares a dress!" 8 responded.

"And your guy has a stupid hat!"

"Comon 1! Show that girly-dress-wearing guy who's better!" 8 snorted nudging 10 toward the Hybrid elder.

"Negative will _eat _your leader!" Slasher roared shoving Negative foreword.

The two elders were pushed into one another's noses. Both of them took a few nervous steps away. The slow witted guards both cheered them to fight. There was a moment of stillness until 10 lifted his claws. Negative shied away, his tail curling into his legs.

In a blur of gold, 10 made the first move, but his gold claw hit nothing. Negative slithered away while 10 attempted to claw at his face. The Stitchpunk pounced on his foe and brought him to the floor. The while doll's feet flailed, trying to escape, but 10 firmly held him down with his weight. Negative howled shrilly as his arms were pulled behind his back. The snake wriggled free and impacted 10's head with his stinger.

The Stitchpunk elder thrust a fist into the Hybrid's sunken-in stomach. 10 pulled his arms back, clutching his staff in both claws and swung it forward into Negative's head. The Hybrid collapsed to the floor with oil leaking form a spot hidden by his hood. 10 felt a strange devilish joy in defeating his foe. The Stitchpunk loomed over Negative, extending his powerful claw. Negative's head lifted groggily and put up a hand.

"Sick them!" Negative commanding snapping his claws.

Slasher's lips wrinkled away to reveal his massive teeth. His needles rose up and he was twice as big. With a massive boom, he jumped toward 8. The huge Stitchpunk wailed as the needle fingers impaled his shoulders. Slasher closed his jaws around 8's face. Being unable to see anything but the inside of the red doll's massive maw, 8's arms flailed until he snatched Slasher's tail. The spiked doll was ripped away and slammed into the floor. Slasher was only still for a moment, then his hooves thrusted toward the heavyset Stitchpunk.

Slasher had missed and was lifted by 8 and thrown into a pile of gas bombs. The red doll bolted out of the rubble moments later and jumped at 8. The Stitchpunk's fist impacted the skinny doll's face and he was forced to the ground again. 8 may have been stronger by far, but Slasher was the faster of the two. Before he could think to defend, Slasher's long tail rocketed foreword. Power and a sharp stab pulsed through the Stitchpunk after the syringe penetrated his gut.

10 looked away from the gore and fallowing howl of pain and saw the white Hybrid half-way up the raptors. The Sanctuary king pursued the coward. Negative yelped and skittered faster toward the hole in the roof.

"Come back, you Beast!" Threatened 10 as he crawled up and after Negative, "I demand to know where the other Stitchpunk are!"

8 saw his leader leaving after Negative and pulled Slasher's tail out of him and threw him aside again. The heavyset doll crawled up after 10, oil trickling from a few needle-holes. The guard bit back the pain from the syringe for the sake of protecting his leader. Slasher was quick to go after the three, bleeding out of wounds of his own.

In a darkened corner, Sparks watched the four wounded dolls exit to the roof of the Factory. The gray creature trembled helplessly, his wires throwing stars. Sparks knew of only one group he could turn to; he had to find other Stitchpunk!

3 slid down the steep convater belt and into the dark basement room once again. He looked up at 4 and 6 and shook his head sadly. Once that barrel was pushed down into that room, there was no way to get back up. The room was so dark and dismal, little hope was allowed the escape the trio of Stitchpunk.

"6? Twins?" Rasped a hushed voice.

They turned toward the voice. 4's eyes illuminated the dark place and it was revealed that 2 has been tied up and thrown into the basement. Both elated to see the old doll, while troubled that he had been captured, the twins and 6 sprinted to his side. 2's legs and wrists were unbound and he was helped to his feet.

There was a brief time of joy and hugs all around, but then the severity of their situation rose into reality again. They were literally surrounded by machines and unsure where they were. After a warning to be extremely careful, 2 started to lead the three quieter Stitchpunk.

"There's a dark passage leading down. It's the only way out," 2 said pointed toward a hole with piping leading down below, "Stay close."

There was a flickering, red glow shining from under the heavy iron door with the fascist symbol upon it. The door was bent and jutted out toward them. Judging by its distortion, behind the door was where the explosion that destroyed the Factory priory had occurred - behind the door was the Fabricator's chamber.

"We'll definitely be able to fit under that gap," 9 said pointing his staff at the bottom of the slide-down barrier, "In order to get the talisman back, we need someone to distract the Machine while someone else grabs it. I'm almost positive the talisman is powering that thing."

"Wait!" Squeaked a Hybrid voice.

9, 5 and 7 turned and saw Sparks sprinting up to them on all fours. While the other two didn't seem bothered, 7 tensed at the sight of the red-eyed doll. Sparks pushed himself into standing position and caught his breath for a few moments.

"What do you want, _Beast_?" 7 rumbled.

"No, no, he's not a Beast. He's a friend," 5 said, he and Sparks have had time to speak briefly earlier.

"What is it?" 9 asked, slightly skeptical of how much he could trust the gray doll.

"- _A-a-a-a-age of the M-machine_ - 10 and his friend chased Negative and Slasher up onto the roof of the Factory!"

"Negative? Slasher?"

"Two more like me. Our leader and his deputy. - _Stitchpunk clones! _-," Sparks shook off his glitch and continued in a loud cry, "They might kill each other up there!"

"We have a bigger problem right now," 7 hissed while 9 was still weighing his options.

"She's right," 9 said at length, "Our biggest problem is getting rid of the Machine."

"Sparks, do you think you can speak to the Fabricator to distract it?" 5 asked.

"I-I-I- Well, he doesn't like anyone but Negative to talk to him," Sparks stuttered clutching his tail.

"But he'll let you talk to him?"

"Well, yes but-"

"You have to, Sparks. Do you seriously think he'll let any of _us_ get away? He'll trust you," 9 said.

Sparks' throat convulsed while the Stitchpunk looked at him expectantly. He trembled and his wires shorted out for a brief moment before he took a deep breath and looked up at his new friends unsurely.

"I'll try, guys," He whispered.

The hulking metal machine turned from creating a donkey-sized machine at a meek "_Acchhemm_". The Machine saw the gray Hybrid, -5, below him. His head lit briefly in a mixture of annoyance and surprise.

"What do you want, -5?" Boomed the Machine as the Hybrid was turned red by his shining eye.

"Um, good morning," Sparks choked nervously, forgetting what he planned to speak with him about.

"State your business, or go away!" Thundered the Fabrication Machine as he started to pull away.

"W-wait!" Sparks called, "Can you come down here, really close, p-please?" Sparks couldn't help it as a frightened grin cracked up his face.

The Machine was irritated, but performed the request nonetheless. The Hybrid healer was bathed in the glow of the Machine's light. Sparks tried not to glance sideways, where 9 had carefully climbed onto one of the Fabricator's arms. The challenge now was the keep the Machine's gaze away from the burlap savior.

"What is the purpose of this exercise?" Demanded Spark's creator.

"Oh, er - Look at this!" Sparks cried and clasped his only hand around his wires.

The Machine's head backed away slowly as Spark's body convulsed and fell onto the ground stiffly. The little gray creature yanked on his wires screeching in pain with one leg vibrating involuntarily. Electricity exploded from the exposed wires.

"- _I WONT SAND HERE AND SQUEAL, THOUGH I WOULD LIKE A FEEEEL! OH, MY BRAIN'S IN A KNOT! WHY IS EVIL SO HOOOOT? EVIL IS HOOOOOT! EVIL IS HOOOT! DON'T TELL ME THAT IT'S NOT, CUZ EVIL IS HOOOOT! I AM WOMAN! AND I AM MAN! I AM STRAIGHT! AND I AM TOO, ACCEPT FOR THAT ONE TIME IN COLLEGE...! _-" Sparks sang against his will.

Not even the mighty monster was immune to staring at the tiny gray doll, twitching on the floor, singing score from"The Toxic Avenger". As 5 and 7 watched from their hiding place, 9 climbed under the machine's head. 9's copper hand reached up toward the tiny area under the Machine's eye. While his fingers grazed the talisman, he hoped to his creator he wouldn't be spotted.

"- ..._SO FREAKIN' HOOOOT!_ -"

"Enough!" Boomed the Fabricator.

Sparks released his wires and lay panting on the floor. His pupils shrunk into pinpricks upon seeing the Machine pull toward him. 9, batting at the talisman, didn't seem to have been noticed.

"Clearly your wiring has gone faulty and you need to be repaired," The Machine said lifting a powerful hand.

"N-no!" Sparks squealed, "It hurts to touch."

"It _must_ be fixed." He insisted.

The healer screamed as the Machine's hand started to close in on him. Suddenly there was stillness followed by a slow dying hum. The room was no longer drenched in red light. The Machine lay completely still and Sparks sprinted away from his stagnant hand. 9 smirked and emerged from behind the Machine holding the golden trinket.

"You did it!" Cried 7 and 5 embracing the doll holding the talisman.

The room was filled with an angry red light and a hiss sounded from below. The smiles were effaced clear off the four doll's mouths. The Factory, that was only silent for a few seconds, hissed back into life.

"I forgot about the backup generators in the basement," Sparks whispered to himself, and then he turned to the three Stitchpunk, "You got the life-giver! Go onto the roof before he sees you! I'll be okay!"

As the Stitchpunk skittered up metal beams leading to a still unrepaired hole in the ceiling, the Machine rose back up. Sparks let out a held breath watching the Stitchpunk go out of sight.

"Why was my energy cut!" Snapped the Machine.

"T-The Stitchpunks took the life-giver away!" Sparks answered.

"Pursue them_ now_!" Exploded his voice, "Don't let them get away with that talisman!"

Out of a hole in the roof bursted a hooded head into the orange-red sunrise light. Negative leapt out of the hole and slithered back as 10 and 8 emerged. 10 and his guard pursued the skittish Hybrid.

"Beast!" 10 snapped, "I demand answers!"

Negative trembled, unable to get himself to move. He loosened upon seeing Slasher's spined, red head come out of the hole. With a massive roar, Slasher exploded foreword and locked his teeth into 10's shoulder. Before the Stitchpunk elder was torn to shreds, 8 leapt to his side, thrusting Slasher away. Slasher's feet scraped the metal roof and he came to a stop. The pair of loyal guards continued their battle on the Factory roof.

9, 5, 7 and Sparks emerged onto the roof to be greeted by the prelude to a rising sun. On the far end of the narrow, shining metal roof they saw 8 and his clone locked in battle. The Factory was massive, so the four on the other end of the roof seemed to be pinpricks.

"Sparks," 9 said taking the gray doll's shoulders, his brow wrinkled in doubt, "I want you to find 2, 5 and the twins. Can you do that?"

Sparks made a whimper and nodded his head. With a long parting glance to the Stitchpunk, he slipped back down into the hole. As the savior and his friends sprinted to the opposite end, 8 and Slasher slammed their weights into each other. The red doll flew back but landed on all fours. 8 clutched his shoulder, having slammed into the needles in the other's arm. The Stitchpunk cringed at the amount of oil he'd been spilling onto the roof.

His clone impacted him again, sending him closer to the edge of the precipice. The top of the Factory was only flat enough to stand on for a narrow strip only about four meters long. After that narrow spot, the metal sloped down sharply, leading to certain death unless once could catch themselves on one of the windows that stuck out about half-way down.

Slasher clamped his long, sharp teeth into the larger doll's throat. 8 struggled to trie to shake off the other doll, but the hold only tightened. The pair fell to the iron ground. Crushed under the 8's weight, Slasher let go with a wail of pain. His massive jaws were impacted by a solid fist. Slasher recoiled, oil spattering from his mouth as he let out gargled roar.

8 stood up and glanced around for a weapon, but only saw the red demon staring back at him with his broken jaw hanging limply and evil shining in his eyes. The red doll jumped at him again. 8 managed to stop the top half of his body, but Slasher's hooves impacted an optic with a shatter. The Hybrid was dropped again as the huge doll held his broken eye in pain. Slasher let out a gargled chuckle. His black lips curled into a dastardly grin as his powerful tail lifted again.

The syringe rocketed foreword, aiming for the Stitchpunk's ticker. The syringe stopped in the air and was swiped away from 8's body. The huge doll's hand crushed the Hybrid's throat. 8 swung him away. As Slasher flew through the air, the white warrior sprinted toward the scene with her weapon drawn. The shrieking red doll twisted in circles as he slid down the steep part of the roof, leaving a trail of oil. 7 pulled her entire body foreword, throwing her sharp shrapnel.

The pointed edge stopped Slasher, impaling his chest. He let out a pitiful wail, with oil bubbling in his throat. The red doll lied limp on the side of the roof, oil trickling down all the way to the ground.

Negative started to sprint away, but stopped just short of the edge of the roof. The ground sank far down before him and the cowardly Hybrid backed off. He hissed sharply when the huge Stitchpunk snatched him. The white Hybrid wriggled in vain, his neck being held firmly in one hand and his tail stretched out with another. Negative's arms and legs flailed in a blur, but 8's grip was unmoved. 10 saw his red slits shrink as he approached. 10 wanted his answers!

The shadow sitting upon the top of a smoke stack stood at alert. Tzarina saw her mentor being held below. She wasn't about to let the savages harm her father-figure. She let out a furious roar to summon a Beast.

Moments later a flying machine rocketed out of the hole in the Fabricator's chamber. Winged Beast looked down upon the Stitchpunk that had defeated him before. Winged Beast had changed; he was given two heads, four wings and four legs. The tail that lead to his death was removed. The modifications didn't mean that New Winged Beast was any less hasty.

After flying by the smoke stack to pick up Tzarina, Winged Beast swooped down toward the roof. The Beast saw 9 and recognized him as the one that defeated him.

"You won't defeat me again!" The Winged Beast's screeching voice filtered through Tzarina, who was equipped with the translating device that gave her the name "Queen of Beasts".

Winged Beast flew at the burlap doll with his front talons opened. 9 saw the old rival coming at him and ordered the others to duck. The Stitchpunk dropped to the ground. 10 fell too quick and snatched Negative's cloak. 8 was unsure what to do.

Winged Beast missed 9 but instead locked his talons around Negative's narrow body. The machine's four wings carried him up. 8, who was still holding on to him, came with Negative into the air. Clutching fearfully to the Hybrid's cloak was 10. Tzarina saw the three dolls dangling below and howled to Winged Beast:

"You moron! Negative is one of us!"

"Well, _sorry_, princess!"

"Shut up, and get them!"

2, the twins and 6 had traveled to the bottom of the slope and into a hot room. It was nearly pure dark as a cave, save for a flickering orange-yellow light. Piping branched around the room like long spider legs. Some pipes had steam bursting out. The room had a tall roof.

It was all very inhospitable, so the four Stitchpunk took caution as they moved forward toward the flicking light source. As they drew closer, they could see that bright white flashes appearing at random. The flashes were accompanied by an inconsistent groaning and churning of metal. 2 saw that the light was coming from a small number of dull, melting candles. The candles surrounded a burlap-covered, hunched-over figure. The figure had four arms and was working painstakingly on a Beast. 2 was the first to notice that it wasn't a machine and approached it.

"Hello. Who are you?" 2 asked in a hushed rasp.

The four-armed doll was slightly shorter than he and covered in frayed wounds. The plump doll had short, two-jointed legs with hooves. His four arms had three fingers each, save for one that was broken off. Sticking from behind his shoulder blades were smaller appendages with welding tools that the end. 2 noticed that the other had several significant wounds: a slash that exposed his rib cage, an impaling wound going through his belly and a bent leg. The old Hybrid had a chain around his neck that kept his movement within inches of his spot.

"What happened?" 2 asked softly after realizing how long the Hybrid must have been there, "Who did this to you?"

2 finally got his clone to turn his head at him and shifted back seeing that his mouth had been sewn shut. His dilated pupils panned down and he saw a large, mended claw-mark raked across the area where his voice box was - or _had been_. Someone wanted to keep this creature quiet!

"There you are!" Shouted a Hybrid voice.

Sparks dashed into the candlelit area. His wires illuminated the room upon seeing what had happened to his old friend.

"C-C-C-C-Cicatrix! What has he done to you! -_ I'll kill 'em! I'll kill 'em! _-" Wailed the gray doll, his black claws grazing the chain, "He can even lie down. Cicatrix shouldn't be standing for this long. Look! His joints are rusting."

As Sparks continued to wail on, 2 walked past the bystanders, 3, 4 and 6, and unlooped the chain off the pipe. Though his tether fell off, Cicatrix turned and went back to his mindless work.

"Stop, Cic. You're free." Sparks choked.

The old doll only stared up at his friend with huge, red, dismayed eyes. Cicatrix turned back to his work, ignoring the others.

"He's changed," Sparks whimpered, "His will is broken."

6 stood stiff at this. He remembered how it felt when he saw Dapple's murder. The striped doll felt empathy. 6 approached Cicatrix and tugged at his shoulder.

"Please. She told me about you," 6 said, "Cicatrix, the Strong, you have to come with us."

"6 is right. It's imperative that you leave this abuse," 2 added, "We can give you a much healthier life."

"Cicatrix - I n-need you," Sparks whispered.

After a moment, the old, fat Hybrid's eyes shut and he stumbled over. Sparks struggled to lower his heavy body down gently. He lifted his plug tail with his teeth and let the energy transfer into his only hand.

"That's it. Rest for a while. I'll charge you right back up." The gray doll lifted his head toward 2 and the others, "There's a battle going on on the roof. As soon as Cic can travel, we need to help."

Winged Beast made a long turn and rocketed back toward the roof of the Factory. Tzarina appeared to be ignoring her mentor and the two Stitchpunk dangling from the machine's talons. Winged Beast let out a mechanized screech as he dove in toward the Stitchpunk.

7 saw the four-winged machine coming and leapt onto off the steep part of the roof. She slid down and saw the blade sticking from Slasher approaching. Her small copper hand wrapped around the blade. The sudden stop caused her to swing and fly back up. 7 was sprung back to the top of the roof with the blade still in her hand. She watched briefly as Slasher's body slid off the roof, the blade no longer pinning him there.

She sprinted toward Winged Beast and flung her upper body foreword, letting go of the blade. Tzarina's mane fluffed upon seeing the sharp shard flying toward them. The black doll forsook the double-headed beast and glided, ungracefully, down. Almost at the moment when Tzarina bailed, the Winged Beast was hit with the shard. The blade slashed a gaping hole in two of his left wings. Negative had to duck to miss the refracted blade.

The Winged Beast made half a hawk's scream and half a human's scream because of Tzarina's translating device. He dipped sharply toward the ground, floundering in the air until the end of the roof. Tzarina's silver claws dug into the far edge of the roof, her legs hanging off the edge. She looked up and saw Winged Beast crashing toward her. As the black doll ducked, Negative, 10 and 8 were released by the Beast's talons.

As Winged Beast plummeted toward the ground, his human voice fuzzed out as he got further away from Tzarina and turned into a mechanical shriek. She gazed down as Winged Beast fell into a massive turbine sticking out of the Factory's side. The Beast was shredded by the swift cutting blades. The turbine was halted by one of the dead machine's severed heads. Tzarina's red pupils shank to picks and she swallowed hard, being so close to the same fate. She quickly regathered her rage when her gaze rested on 7. The black doll jumped onto the roof to challenge the superior warrior.

The three dolls dropped by the Winged Beast cut through the air toward the ground. Negative fell the fastest. He noticed a pipe sticking out of the Factory leading to the ground. His staff caught it. He held the staff horizontally with both hands and his body came to a halt. The pipe and his staff acted like links of a chain. Negative sung from side to side as the two round surfaces struggled to find a comfortable place to lie still.

He saw two pale figures fall down past him. Suddenly his cloak came tight around his neck. 8 and 10 had grabbed the bottom of the black cloak and came to a stop also. The two Stitchpunk looked down and saw a slight incline leading into a large vent with a turbine within. The turbine was stopped by the head of Winged Beast. Below, the turbine clicked quickly as it struggled to continue to turn.

10 looked up, noticing the cloak start to tremble. Negative's arms were fatiguing and shaking under the stress of holding four times his own weight. The femur bone of the Hybrid's staff that was taking all four the doll's weight creaked ominously. Would the weak Hybrid's arms give out, or would the staff break first?

The Great Machine's red eye was glaring up into the hole where one of his Hybrids had exited. He was now annoyed that he was hearing the scrapings, scuffling and yowls of battle above and he could not see what was happening. Instead, he stared intently on the hole in his roof.

He was distracted by the sound of three Hybrids entering his chamber. He swung himself down sharply. BleachFace, with Nip and Tuk peering from behind, stood in his doorway.

"The Stitchpunk are up on the roof fighting with the others," BleachFace reported tartly.

"I am aware of that!" Snapped the Machine, "-7, -3 and -4! Go up there and bring them to me. I want them alive!"

The black Hybrid was blocked and skidded across the ground once more. One of her retractable claws was ripped out and slid to the ground by her. Tzarina flipped herself up. 7 clutched her makeshift spear tensely. She was able to block Tzarina but not able to defeat her. 7's face screwed up upon realizing the fight could have gone on forever. Tzarina lunched herself at 7 again. 7 swung her weapon at her and there was a shatter. Tzarina landed heavily on the ground and lagged there for a moment. Three red-eyed figures emerged from the hole leading into the Fabricator's chamber.

"Need some help, baby?" BleachFace remarked teasingly as he stepped in front of Tzarina.

"Silence, you fool!" She scowled, lifting her head to reveal the glass had been shattered on one of her eyes, "Get her!"

7 saw Tzarina, BleachFace, Nip and Tuk sprint at her, their teeth bared. 7 was only frozen for a minute before she took an aggressive pose again.

"All right, bring it," She growled quietly.

9 and 5 were pelting to the end of the roof, where a Hybrid and their friends dangled. In the mist of the struggle, Tzarina noticed the two burlap dolls heading to where she saw Negative disappear. Lust for the fight was effaced and replaced with fear for her father-figure.

"Negative," She rasped before going after the Stitchpunk.

Tzarina barged right in-between Nip and Tuk in her blind run. The sisters squealed as the lost their balance and tilted to one end of the edge. The two tumbled and started to slide quickly down the steep incline. BleachFace and 7 stiffened seeing the girls slip off.

The cat and the bird leapt and slid down the steep roof on two feet. Nip and Tuk's scruffs were snatched by two different hands. BleachFace was holding Tuk in one hand and dug his scythe into the metal with the other. 7 had caught Nip and was holding herself with her shrapnel.

The bird and the cat looked at each other. Shock kept across their faces. They both had an intense need to protect children.

9, with 5 seconds behind, skidded to a stop at the end of the roof. Negative, 10 and 8 stared up at them, their eyes huge with fear as the ground plunged far beneath them. The savior felt a power pang of terror that pounded on his head as soon as he noticed the ominous clicking of the jammed fan below. He stuttered, trying to dictate a plan when there was a snap. The Snake Staff had shattered in half and the three plunged below.

"Nooo- kughh!" 9 grunted after a black doll slammed right into his shoulder.

Tzarina rushed down the ramp leading down into the turbine, her pupils dilated and her jaws parted. After glancing to each other, 9 and 5 swiftly fallowed her. For that dire moment, the line between Stitchpunk and Hybrid was gone!

New dolls emerged onto the roof. 2 was at the head of the troop, with Sparks helping a limping Cicatrix and with 3 and 4 hiding behind 6. 7 and BleachFace had just climbed back up to the roof. The warriors pointed to the end of the roof frantically.

"The edge!" BleachFace bellowed.

"10 and 8 are going to fall!" 7 howled.

The warriors, the children, the healers: all sped to the end of the roof. It was too late. Their friends had fallen. 8 landed first. He caught himself on a loose bolt that kept the hanging turbine attached to the wall. The metal clunked as the two elders impacted. They had landed on a sloped edge that led into the deadly blade. The pale elders lifted their heads, exchanged horrified glances and started to claw up toward 8. Suddenly, their cloaks tightened around their necks and they were tugged back.

Negative's and 10's cloaks were entwined into a mess of black and white and suck on one of the blades. The Winged Beast's head was shivering as the turbine was winning the fight. The clicking of the turbine was growing quicker and louder, like the leader's tickers.

8 stared down at his leader and the clone as they were slowly pulled toward the crushing blades. He looked up. Tzarina, 9 and 5 wouldn't be there in time! The guard forsook his own safe place and slid down to help Negative and 10. He clenched a fist around the nape of 10's cloak. 8 strained himself to pull them out of the deathtrap, but they were still dragged down all the same.

"Fabricator! Save me!" Negative shrieked a desperate prayer.

The Fabricator's huge eyes was turned toward the plead. His head sparked with anger before his eye blackened and his body froze. As soon as the red was gone from the Machine, the bright bulb on the attachment on Negative's neck lit. Negative felt his blood turn to molten steel and he screeched in pain. His mind was in blackness. His head drooped and it rose again with a bright red light. His slits were gone and his eyes were opened completely.

His lips curled away and he hissed furiously. His claws bored into 8's shoulder and his teeth slammed shut on his neck. 8 screamed in pain as he was ravenously attacked. Out of Negative's oil-covered maw came a sound, but it wasn't his voice, it was the blood-thirsty roar of the Fabrication Machine.

9 and Tzarina leapt to the edge of the turbine were the bolts held it on and looked on helplessly as the guard's arm was torn to shreds by Hybrid. All dolls, Stitchpunk and Hybrid, gathered behind the savior and his shadow. Sparks clutched Tzarina as she struggled to try to jump down to Negative.

10 saw the group above. He glanced at his guard and his attacker for a moment before he lurched himself. There was a rip and 10 was free. He crawled up the slope on his belly, with the end of his cloak missing. 9 lifted the old leader up.

10 looked down at his guard and friend sadly before his brow tightened. He didn't see Negative; he saw the Machine. Anger spun inside him: the pain that the Machine had caused him, the destruction of his Sanctuary, the loss of his life; now he could redeem himself!

10 swiped his staff from where it had fallen down on the ledge. He dug the end under the loose bolt and pulled viciously.

"Knock out the bolts!" commanded the Sanctuary king, his eyes intense chips of onyx.

"No!" 9 shouted fearfully, "They'll be crushed! You'll kill them!"

"He's right!" BleachFace's bass voice boomed as he dug his scythe under the only other bolt, "There must be sacrifice!"

The turbine shuttered as the cat pulled the bolt out of its hole. Without the bolt to keep it balanced, the entire fan groaned all its weight to the final bolt.

"Negative!" Tzarina crowed bursting free from Sparks' grasp and leaping down into the turbine.

The black doll landed on 8, who whimpered in pain. Negative was still attacking the guard. 8 threw his head up to the cluster of dolls above.

"1! Please! Help me!" He begged.

But 10 was def to his friend, only wanting to destroy the Machine. It was 9 who came his aid. The savior hung on the edge and stretched a hand out to 8. 10 saw 9 half-way in the fan and commanded BleachFace to continue to pull on the bolt. 10 locked himself onto the youngest Stitchpunk and struggled with him.

"There's nothing we can do!" 10 shouted into his head.

9 ignored his words and refused to fight with him.

"Negative, come on," Tzarina begged as she reached her paw out for Negative to grab.

Her paw was knocked aside by his flailing tail. There was a _chink_ and her heavy hand smacked Negative's attachment and sent it out of his neck and to the ground. Negative's mind was back and he saw his student reaching for him. Negative grabbed Tzarina's paw with his claw tightly.

"Please, don't let me go," He whispered.

The cloak was growing tighter and tighter. Negative throat was closing as his cloak was scratched. His gagged and looked up desperately at Tzarina.

"Negative, please. Please, hold on," Tzarina panted.

A loud sound broke through the moment. Tzarina realized with a twinge that the turbine was free and its blades spun like a whirlpool. Moments after, she felt claws slip from her grip.

"NO!" Tzarina roared.

Negative's white body disappeared into the torrent. The turbine shuttered and fell away around them. BleachFace had broken the last bolt and the hunk of metal plummeted to the ground. The turbine exploded into a hunk of twisted metal below. 9 clutched 8's hand and pulled him and Tzarina up.

"Negative!" screamed the lost, black Hybrid as she glided to the pile of iron below.

"Tzarina, wait!" Sparks called after her as he started to jump down the ledges of the dark wall.

The group of dolls reached the ground soon. The sun was above the horizon and everything was bathed in a bittersweet golden light. The crisis was over. The line between Stitchpunk and Hybrid drew itself again.

"Stitchpunk," BleachFace said turning his mask toward them, "Go home."

"But, what about your leader?" 9 asked in concern.

"Go home before the Beasts come," The cat insisted blankly, "Take -2. He's ill and will only be forced back into work by the Machine. He's better with ya'll."

The Stitchpunk reluctantly started to travel back toward Human-City. Cicatrix only gazed at Sparks and nodded goodbye. 10 put a claw on the fat Hybrid's shoulder.

"I promise you, you will be well under my leadership," 10 said.

"It won't be _your _leadership for much longer," 7's voice shattered the elder's pride.

10 lifted his head to bite back, but was met with glaring eyes. Not only was it 7, but all the Stitchpunk, accept 2, who refused to look, penetrated his soul with their hateful glares. He was startled to find that even 8 looked at him as if he were a Beast. 10 didn't know what he did wrong, but he knew the others were considering his new law: if the leader proves himself as unworthy, the governed have the power to put him on trial and dictate his punishment: impeachment, exile, or execution by beheading. 10 grabbed his throat and looked at 7.

_If she has her way, there's a geutean waiting for my neck! _He hissed in his head, _Why did I ever create that damn law? _

Tzarina was still gliding down to the remains of the turbine. Sparks was already by it. He felt a heavy head smack him away. Tzarina pushed away the medic and started to claw desperately through the bent metal. She inhaled sharply after seeing a limp, white body loll out from in-between two blades. Negative was severely crushed and his side was impaled. His slits flickered open. Tzarina stoked his head soothingly.

"_Shhhh_, it's going to be okay," She purred.

"Tzarina, my dear, beloved child," His breath shuttered, "Remember what I taught you… Do you know how to conduct a group of Hybrids?"

"I-I do, but why must I know? You're the firstborn. You're our leader," She choked.

"It's time for me to retire, Tzarina. You'll be a fantastic leader," Negative's red eyes started to dull.

"I need you."

"Thank you, Tzarina. Before you, I was all alone. You filled me with love," A rusty purr rumbled from the white Hybrid, "I love you, my child."

Negative was still. Tzarina stared down at him, shaking. She murmured quietly and embraced him in a hug. The black Hybrid stood and turned into Sparks. She dug her head into his shoulder and wept quietly. Sparks wrapped her arms around the lost Hybrid and rocked her slowly.

BleachFace, upon looking at them, scowled behind his mask. His body tightened with envy. He took swift steps toward the Factory and called out:

"We need to report this to the Machine."

***~* The Machines *~***

Ant Driods

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male

Anatomy - Several legs and many red eyes attached to a single black section of its body. Slightly larger than a Stitchpunk.

Details - Created by the Machine, a quick-moving minor machine used primarily to stand look-out for the Machine or collect parts for him.

The Fabrication Machine

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Massive machine with two body sections with many arms and tools attached, one massive processor for a head with a red eye, opposable tail attached him to his Factory.

Details - His processor was built by the creator of the Stitchpunk and his massive body added on so her may create war-machines. The cause of the extermination of life. Killed by 9. Created Stitchpunk beings of his own to eliminate the original nine, however his main motivation is something unknown. Rules Negative and in turn, the rest of the hybrids, with fear and intimidation. Unknowingly desires love above all things.

The Skouts

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male

Anatomy - Rat skull head, raptor-like body with springs in legs. Long whiplash tail. Highly opposable fingers. Stitchpunk-sized. Fairly intelligent and programmed with pack mentality. Shakes victims until dead.

Details - Created by the Machine. Fast, nimble but very fragile. Used to collect items and patrol boarders.

The Cat Beast

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Long monkey-like legs, cat skull head with one light bulb eye to see at night and spiked back. Two-and-a-half Stitchpunk heights.

Details - Created by the Machine. Nimble and powerful but unintelligent. Enjoys toying with her pray. Killed by 7 but salvaged by the Machine. Currently being redesigned.

The Cackle Beast

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender of Species - All Male accept the Matriarch

Anatomy - Six extremely long legs with fingers of variable sizes. Hump-backed bady with a spotted hyena skin draped over it. Possum skull head with rubber ears. Fishing hook at end of tail. Almost two Stitchpunk heights.

Details - Created by the Machine. Similar programming as Cat Beast. Usually in packs with a ruling Matriarch.

The Glutton Beast

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Male

Anatomy - A large, swat, toad-like machine with a wide head and five, highest eyes. Large, wide-spread fingers designed to absorb shock. A tube in his mouth connects to his belly, made from the bag of a vacuum cleaner. Has several tiny, pointed teeth. Roughly a meter tall.

Details - Created by the Machine. Designed to capture Stitchpunk my sucking them into its belly. Similar programming as Seamstress.

Underbite

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Female

Anatomy - A long serpentine body with two arms. One are is a plastic dinosaur bone replica forelimb, the other is a long chain with a hook. Has two webbed fins under its arms. Also has a tail and dorsal fin. Head is a plastic troadon skull with four eyes and an under bite made form metal, with long angler-fish like teeth. Has a lure with a shining blue light on the top of her head.

Details - Created by the Machine. Patrolling, swimming machine, used in the polluted river that runs past the front of the Factory. While she lures pray in stealthfully, she's also a powerful fighting machine. Very slow on land.

New Seamstress

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Female

Anatomy - A long, black fabric covered serpentine body with two arms. Two arms are made from a human forearm and her hands are made of needles. Long neck with a cobra-shaped hood that can hide her true face. Her face is made from a white shard of porcelain. Has huge, shining red eyes that can hypnotize. Two pointed fangs. A Stitchpunk dummy nicknamed "Cream" is attached to the top of her head.

Details - Created by the Machine. Made swifter and more powerful than her pervious form. Seamstress is the only machine, other than the Fabricator himself, that can comminute with dolls directly.

New Winged Beast

Allegiance - The Machines

Gender - Male

Anatomy – Four large wings webbed with red tarp. Stands on four legs each equipped with hawk-like, metal talons. No tail. Two heads made from knives with one eye on the top of each head.

Details - Created by the Machine. Made more powerful and faster than his previous form. Destroyed after falling into rotor blades.

***~* Machine-Stitchpunk Hybrids *~***

Negative (-1) . . . The Innocent

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - White leather skin, frail steel claws, bone tail with stinger, needle fangs. Held shut with two buckles in an "X" across the chest. Red slitted eyes. Shorter and scrawnier than 1.

Details - Created by the Machine to be the leader of the others of his kin. Skittish and very weak but self-loving and irritable. Worships the Machine like a god, fallowing him blindly. However often regrets the bad things he's been forced to do. The only hybrid to speak directly to the Machine. Crushed and impaled by a turbine.

Tzarina (-9) . . . The Understanding

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from a black purse with fur trim. Fur runs down head like a mane, over chest and down back going into a long tail. Zipper runs down the back of her head. Heavy paws with razor blade retractable claws. Red eyes and solid silver fangs. Lost a claw and the glass on one eye in a fight with 7.

Details - Created by the Machine as a solider and heir to Negative if he should die. Deeply respects elders for their apparent "wisdom". Hostile and pig-headed but cannot fight the almost motherly side inside her. Heavy claws make her attacks ineffective on foes that are too fast to be hit. Holds romantic feelings for Sparks that she doesn't comprehend. Currently the Hybrid leader.

Sparks (-5) . . . The Healer

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Majorly a tough gray fabric with patches and stitches. Many stitches along his face and a "Y" incision on his chest. Black metal claws and a white electrical plug for a tail. Shorter than Tzarina and skinny. Red eyes. Exploded patches of wires sticking out of a wound in his head.

Details - Created by the Machine to recharge himself and bring machines to life. Sparks is submissive and jumpy. He tries to please everyone and tends to be friendly to those who show kindness to him. The wires often glitch causing Sparks to convulse and scream something from his memories - usually something unuseful. Wants to be in a relationship with Tzarina. Desires to become friends with the Stitchpunk.

Cicatrix (-2) . . . The Strong

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Dirty pale burlap skin covered in several patches and stitches. Smallest of all the hybrids and Stitchpunk. Plump. Four heavy arms molded after the Machines', two other appendages sticking from shoulders for welding. No tail, wire-cutter teeth.

Details - Created by the Machine solely for labor. Able to lift things three-times his weight but his health is fading fast. Peaceful and is fascinated by nature. Mauled by Slasher and lost his voice. Was forced into the cellar to make machines and fell ill because of it. In the care of the Stitchpunk.

Slasher (-8) . . . The Loyal

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Made from a red pin cushion. Has stripes of black tar drawn on him. Rows a needles rising form head, back, shoulders and jaws. Tall and skinny. Medical needle tail, red eyes and huge needle fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as an enforcer of Negative. Dense and misguided by Negative. Enjoys tormenting the "lower" dolls, being Cicatrix, Sparks, Dapple, Nip and Tuk. Impaled by 7.

Dapple (-6) . . . The Seeing

Number Placement - Back

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Made from a wool black-and-blue striped sweater. Patch of white fur on head as hair. Frail hooks for fingers. Long tail with the head of a paintbrush at the end.

Details - Created by the Machine to design beasts. Speaks in a slow soft voice. Loves all of her kin, even Negative and Slasher who abuse her. Has dreams for a "family". Takes punishment without fighting back, even if she's undeserving. Ordered to death by Negative and killed by Slasher. Taken to the Machine to be "repaired".

BleachFace (-7) . . . The Independent

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - None

Gender - Male

Anatomy - Tall, lithe and dark brown with a long tail that is tipped with white. Tall collar around neck and swift copper claws. Face is stained with bleach. Wears a dark metal cat-like mask to hide his face. Red eyes with yellow stained glass, making them appear orange.

Details - Ran away from the rest of the hybrids for an unknown reason. Calls Human-City, "the City" and claims that it all belongs to him. Navigates ruins with ease and enjoys picking fights and playing mind games. Has a strong sense if independence. Doesn't want to reveal his true face and will fiercely defend himself if he feels threatened to take off his mask.

Nip (-3) . . . The Loving

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Head and body made from gray denim, arms and legs made from the same material. Green camo cape and hood, bright orange inside. Black and silver claws. Pocket sewn into belly. Boarder face and more heavyset than Tuk. Red eyes. No tail, small fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as a worker. Enjoys picking on anything smaller or apparently weaker than herself. Loves the company of her sister but doesn't realize it until she's alone. The leader of the sisters.

Tuk (-4) . . . The Caring

Number Placement - Chest

Allegiance - The Machine

Gender - Female

Anatomy - Head and body made from gray denim, arms and legs made from same material. Turquoise camo cape and good, bright orange inside. Black and silver claws. Pocket sewn onto belly. Skinner than Nip and has unfocused eyes as a result of being beaned on the head too much by her sister. Red eyes. No tail, small fangs.

Details - Created by the Machine as a worker. Enjoys fallowing Nip around. More friendly than her sister but still enjoys her wicked ways. A little slower because of being hit on the head too much. More submissive than Nip.

***~* Others *~***

The Toy Maker

A scientist and ex-toy maker hired by the State to create the Machine. The Machine was taken away from the Toy Maker before he was able to complete testing on it. Only after the Machine went mad with power did he create the nine Stitchpunk creatures to continue life on the dead Earth. Died after bringing 9 to life.


End file.
